Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A Shoutout To Jamerin!
My buddy James and his new bride Erin are in Santorini, Greece, right now and I hope they are having an excellent time.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
250 Reasons Not To Trust IMDb Blog Not Reliable
The other day I came across a person’s movie blog created to determine whether the films listed on IMDb’s Top 250 list deserved the status as best movies in the world. First off, the IMDb list is more of a popularity movie list than a credible “best of” list when it comes to moviemaking, so celebrating it as some be-all, end-all registry of great films isn’t exactly the best idea. However, for argument’s sake let’s pretend the IMDb 250 list is influential.
To claim to be a fan of film and exclude some of the movies this girl did is quite appalling. I’m not saying she had to fall in love with every movie, but even if you don’t like the content of the picture you still need to recognize the value certain movies had on the industry and the way in which they changed Hollywood for all time. I can’t stand films like Easy Rider or The Deer Hunter, but I acknowledge that they were a reflection of the times America was going through and consequently deserve a certain amount of respect.
The author’s posts consisted of the top 250 movies as of June 30, 2010. She approved of 157 movies on the list. Therefore, of the other 93 movies she considered not of quality standards to be the best in the world, some showed how naïve and subjective she was being with the appraisals. Certainly nobody is going to agree with all 250 films, but to discredit a handful of the ones she did was a crime.
A few examples include:
Pulp Fiction – gave Independent filmmakers a voice and popularized the genre
The Dark Knight – despite flaws in the movie, the best superhero film to date enhanced by bringing costumed heroes and out-of-this-world villains into a real world
The Seven Samurai – a legendary Japanese director’s epic film
Goodfellas – Martin Scorcese’s best movie with a brilliant cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and flow
North by Northwest – a classic from Alfred Hitchcock that bested its predecessors of the “innocent man on the run” theme and influenced the genre’s successors
Citizen Kane – considered to be the greatest film of all time and inspired filmmaking for all time afterward; the influence this movie has had on Hollywood is too great to tackle in only a few sentences
Saving Private Ryan – the opening scene of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is enough to merit this movie as one of the greatest films ever made
To Kill a Mockingbird – a pretty authentic adaptation of the novel and Atticus Finch is a legendary character played to perfection by Gregory Peck
Braveheart – Some arguments could be made as to whether the historical inaccuracies should hinder this as a great movie, but from storytelling, acting, and all other moviemaking aspects it is a celebrated entry in film
The Maltese Falcon – possibly the greatest film noir movie ever made with remarkable dialogue and strong performances from all the cast
Metropolis – this is an example of giving a little leeway to a film due to the constrictions of the time period; made in 1927 as a silent film, it could still stand up to other science-fiction movies of today in many categories of filmmaking
Jaws – the first of its kind in that it created the summer blockbuster and every year since audiences have been bombarded from Memorial Day to mid-August with action, explosions, gunplay, and car chases
On the Waterfront – one of Brando’s most inspiring performances
Scarface – another example of a movie I don't necessarily like, but respect; it oozes 80s, and that is what makes it such a classic
Toy Story 2 – one of the greatest sequels of all time that continued to prove computer animation was a new, valid form of storytelling
The Adventures of Robin Hood – today it looks over-sentimental, but Errol Flynn’s iconic role has had a huge influence, not just on the story of Robin Hood, but in Looney Tunes cartoons, a Mel Brooks comedy, and other forms of spoofery.
Some of these movies are products of the decade they were filmed in, but they are still vital to the history of cinema. A certain respect needs to be shown to these movies and others like them on the IMDb Top 250 list, even if you personally didn’t find them an enjoyable watch.
To claim to be a fan of film and exclude some of the movies this girl did is quite appalling. I’m not saying she had to fall in love with every movie, but even if you don’t like the content of the picture you still need to recognize the value certain movies had on the industry and the way in which they changed Hollywood for all time. I can’t stand films like Easy Rider or The Deer Hunter, but I acknowledge that they were a reflection of the times America was going through and consequently deserve a certain amount of respect.
The author’s posts consisted of the top 250 movies as of June 30, 2010. She approved of 157 movies on the list. Therefore, of the other 93 movies she considered not of quality standards to be the best in the world, some showed how naïve and subjective she was being with the appraisals. Certainly nobody is going to agree with all 250 films, but to discredit a handful of the ones she did was a crime.
A few examples include:
Pulp Fiction – gave Independent filmmakers a voice and popularized the genre
The Dark Knight – despite flaws in the movie, the best superhero film to date enhanced by bringing costumed heroes and out-of-this-world villains into a real world
The Seven Samurai – a legendary Japanese director’s epic film
Goodfellas – Martin Scorcese’s best movie with a brilliant cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and flow
North by Northwest – a classic from Alfred Hitchcock that bested its predecessors of the “innocent man on the run” theme and influenced the genre’s successors
Citizen Kane – considered to be the greatest film of all time and inspired filmmaking for all time afterward; the influence this movie has had on Hollywood is too great to tackle in only a few sentences
Saving Private Ryan – the opening scene of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is enough to merit this movie as one of the greatest films ever made
To Kill a Mockingbird – a pretty authentic adaptation of the novel and Atticus Finch is a legendary character played to perfection by Gregory Peck
Braveheart – Some arguments could be made as to whether the historical inaccuracies should hinder this as a great movie, but from storytelling, acting, and all other moviemaking aspects it is a celebrated entry in film
The Maltese Falcon – possibly the greatest film noir movie ever made with remarkable dialogue and strong performances from all the cast
Metropolis – this is an example of giving a little leeway to a film due to the constrictions of the time period; made in 1927 as a silent film, it could still stand up to other science-fiction movies of today in many categories of filmmaking
Jaws – the first of its kind in that it created the summer blockbuster and every year since audiences have been bombarded from Memorial Day to mid-August with action, explosions, gunplay, and car chases
On the Waterfront – one of Brando’s most inspiring performances
Scarface – another example of a movie I don't necessarily like, but respect; it oozes 80s, and that is what makes it such a classic
Toy Story 2 – one of the greatest sequels of all time that continued to prove computer animation was a new, valid form of storytelling
The Adventures of Robin Hood – today it looks over-sentimental, but Errol Flynn’s iconic role has had a huge influence, not just on the story of Robin Hood, but in Looney Tunes cartoons, a Mel Brooks comedy, and other forms of spoofery.
Some of these movies are products of the decade they were filmed in, but they are still vital to the history of cinema. A certain respect needs to be shown to these movies and others like them on the IMDb Top 250 list, even if you personally didn’t find them an enjoyable watch.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Star Trek Movies Ranked
No introduction. Just a list of the Star Trek films, my rating along with IMDb's rating for each film, and what makes them (not) great.
11. Star Trek: Insurrection (4/6.3; released in 1998)
Choosing to watch the ninth or tenth Star Trek movies is like having to decide between drinking your own urine or French kissing your sister: neither would kill you, but you could surely find better things to do with your time. Insurrection, the ninth entry in the series and third movie mission for The Next Generation cast, is a 103-minute morality tale updating the question of whether displacing the few for the betterment of the many is morally justified into an alien sci-fi world. Think Avatar without the mind-blowing 3D visual effects. Very little redeeming qualities can be found in this movie and it would have been better served as an hour-long TV episode for the second Trek series.
10. Star Trek: Nemesis (4/6.4; released in 2002)
Whether Insurrection turned out to be the pee-drinking or the incestuous sister-kissing example in the above metaphor, Nemesis is the other one. Deciding that Enterprise’s next generation had only four movies in them, this turned out to be the crew’s final mission on the silver screen, nearly killing the franchise. The storyline for Nemesis, the tenth movie of the series, involves a clone of Picard created by the Romulans who needs Picard’s blood to survive. A principal theme in the film is how nature vs. nurture plays out among alien races. The presence of a Picard clone, inane chase sequences, lots of action, and satisfactory visual effects can’t equate to engaging storytelling or enjoyable viewing. Even a shocking plot development is negated when it’s revealed a backdoor was left open to right the (space)ship. Nemesis was a disappointing bow out for Picard and crew.
9. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (4/6.5; released in 1984)
Kirk and the gang hijack a wrecked Enterprise after returning to Earth from their confrontation with Khan, minus Spock who was left behind on a Genesis-transformed planet. A Klingon commander races to the same destination in hopes of turning the Genesis Device into a weapon. The Search for Spock, the third feature film of the series given a green light the day after release of The Wrath of Khan, has some elements that make it watchable. This includes good performances from the cast, a few key surprises and twists throughout the film, and plot points that contribute to the setting up of future films in the series. However, regarding said plot, it seems to trudge along at times never getting the viewer’s heart racing like its predecessor or other subsequent films of the series.
8. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (6/5; released in 1989)
Panned by critics and fans alike as the worst movie in the series, I give the fifth Star Trek film, The Final Frontier, more credit than most. The Enterprise crew is dispatched to rescue hostages on a planet, only to find Spock’s Vulcan half-brother Sybok is behind the incident. Sybok’s true plan is to use the Enterprise and travel to the center of the galaxy in order to find the creator of all things on the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree. While everything loathed about the film, such as the dialogue, special effects, and William Shatner’s narcissistic directing, without a doubt make The Final Frontier a tough watch, the idea of searching for God in space intrigues me. There are so many groups of people who want to find our Creator and seek His presence here on Earth, so why is it such a lame concept for an alien to have the same desire?
7. Star Trek: Generations (6/6.4; released in 1994)
The potential for greatest Star Trek movie was there. Pitting two Enterprise captains against a former A Clockwork Orange maniac, what could possibly go wrong? Generations proved combining the leadership methods of James T. Kirk’s reckless endangerment and Jean-Luc Picard’s disciplined common sense did not make for good movie watching. Generations, the series seventh film, begins with The Original Series members Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and Pavel Chekov assisting in a rescue mission aboard USS Enterprise-B. Kirk is believed dead after being transported into a strip of energy called the Nexus. More than 75 years later, Picard’s The Next Generation crew, along with Kirk, must stop Dr. Tolian Soran from destroying a civilization in his attempt to re-enter the Nexus, as he was one of the ones rescued by the Enterprise-B. I can’t say exactly what makes Generations an average movie because I’m not sure what it is that hinders it. It simply doesn’t excite and intrigue like other Star Trek films.
6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (7/6.2; released in 1979)
The pioneer mission that took Star Trek to the big screen proved that, unlike movies such as The Godfather or Jaws, the first is not always the best. The Motion Picture is an adapted storyline from the abandoned continuation series, Star Trek: Phase II. The Enterprise must determine how to stop a massive cloud of energy with a living machine at its center that is destroying all life in its path to find its maker. The Motion Picture is a smart story that unfolds slowly, which is something a lot of moviegoers weren’t interested in after the popularity of sci-fi, action hits like Star Wars and Alien. Many argue the plot is too similar to an episode of The Original Series titled “The Changeling,” but never having seen that episode I feel the film is a pleasant addition and breathed life into the series again allowing for future films and television series.
5. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (7/7.3; released in 1986)
The fourth film of the series and final part of a trilogy-arc storyline, The Voyage Home sends the Enterprise crew back in time to San Francisco in order to find now-extinct humpback whales that can answer the call of a deadly alien probe threatening Earth in their present time. As director, Leonard Nimoy does a superior job balancing the environmental message with the comedy that comes from the future crews’ mishaps with what is perceived as primitive technology and people. You can really tell the cast let loose with this movie and saw it as an opportunity to be more relaxed than in previous Trek films. The Voyage Home is a fun movie that Trekkies and non-Trek fans alike can enjoy, proving Star Trek doesn’t have to have space battles, photon torpedoes, and alien villains to entertain.
4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (8/7.7; released in 1982)
Many believe the greatest movie of the series is the second, The Wrath of Khan. Not only a sequel to The Motion Picture, but also a continuation of the 1967 Original Series episode “Space Seed,” genetically-engineered Khan Noonien Singh seeks revenge on Kirk for deserting him and his people on an isolated planet. Where Star Trek films like The Final Frontier and Nemesis nearly killed the franchise, The Wrath of Khan had a complete opposite outcome, giving new life to the series. Ricardo Montalban’s Khan is a welcome return to the series as main antagonist and the parallel to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is well-suited for a swashbuckling space adventure. What hurts this movie is the acting, discounting Montalban and Leonard Nimoy, and the battle sequences, which have not aged well as computer technology and graphics continue to improve.
3. Star Trek: First Contact (8/7.6; released in 1996)
First Contact is the eighth movie in the series but a first in many categories, including first to feature no cast member of The Original Series and first to highlight the cybernetic organisms known as the Borg as the villain, which had been done on television but not in film. The Borg travel back in time to colonize and conquer Earth, leading Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E to stop it, while at the same time ensuring that the first test of a warp-drive vessel undertakes its mission without any interference. First Contact combines great action, visual effects, and time travel and ends up being one of the most thrilling adventures Star Trek has ever offered. A glaring misstep for the film is how heavily it relies on Trek-verse history and verbiage, leaving non-fans a bit in the dark on all the details, but not so much that a good time can’t still be had.
2. Star Trek (9/8.1; released in 2009)
Partly prequel, partly reboot, the eleventh film in the Star Trek series, appropriately named Star Trek, relates the origins of characters from The Original Series. The plot involves a Romulan named Nero traveling back in time and seeking revenge on the Federation planets Earth and Vulcan for events that have not yet happened. Providing a compelling story with plenty of action and humor makes this movie a well-received film by all moviegoers, but that the writers were able to seamlessly restart the series and provide an outlet for new stories is an amazing achievement. Another benefit to this film is the stellar casting for every single Enterprise crew member, especially Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy. Obviously, Trekkies were going to compare the old and new actors, but the cast does a great job recreating the characters and adding fresh nuances to the characters.
1. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (9/7.2; released in 1991)
One of the elements that made Star Trek such a hit in the 60s was taking real-world events and putting them into science-fiction scenarios, leading to society looking through a microscope at the problems going on around the globe. The sixth Star Trek film is in the vein of classic The Original Series episodes in that it chronicles what it would be like if the Berlin Wall coming down had taken place between alien races. The Enterprise must oversee peaceful talks between the Federation of Planets and Klingons when an environmental disaster forces the two to work with one another. The Undiscovered Country is well-paced, suspenseful as a whodunit plot unfolds, visually stunning, filled with action and comedy, and has great performances from the main cast and supporting characters, particularly Christopher Plummer as a Klingon general.
11. Star Trek: Insurrection (4/6.3; released in 1998)
Choosing to watch the ninth or tenth Star Trek movies is like having to decide between drinking your own urine or French kissing your sister: neither would kill you, but you could surely find better things to do with your time. Insurrection, the ninth entry in the series and third movie mission for The Next Generation cast, is a 103-minute morality tale updating the question of whether displacing the few for the betterment of the many is morally justified into an alien sci-fi world. Think Avatar without the mind-blowing 3D visual effects. Very little redeeming qualities can be found in this movie and it would have been better served as an hour-long TV episode for the second Trek series.
10. Star Trek: Nemesis (4/6.4; released in 2002)
Whether Insurrection turned out to be the pee-drinking or the incestuous sister-kissing example in the above metaphor, Nemesis is the other one. Deciding that Enterprise’s next generation had only four movies in them, this turned out to be the crew’s final mission on the silver screen, nearly killing the franchise. The storyline for Nemesis, the tenth movie of the series, involves a clone of Picard created by the Romulans who needs Picard’s blood to survive. A principal theme in the film is how nature vs. nurture plays out among alien races. The presence of a Picard clone, inane chase sequences, lots of action, and satisfactory visual effects can’t equate to engaging storytelling or enjoyable viewing. Even a shocking plot development is negated when it’s revealed a backdoor was left open to right the (space)ship. Nemesis was a disappointing bow out for Picard and crew.
9. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (4/6.5; released in 1984)
Kirk and the gang hijack a wrecked Enterprise after returning to Earth from their confrontation with Khan, minus Spock who was left behind on a Genesis-transformed planet. A Klingon commander races to the same destination in hopes of turning the Genesis Device into a weapon. The Search for Spock, the third feature film of the series given a green light the day after release of The Wrath of Khan, has some elements that make it watchable. This includes good performances from the cast, a few key surprises and twists throughout the film, and plot points that contribute to the setting up of future films in the series. However, regarding said plot, it seems to trudge along at times never getting the viewer’s heart racing like its predecessor or other subsequent films of the series.
8. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (6/5; released in 1989)
Panned by critics and fans alike as the worst movie in the series, I give the fifth Star Trek film, The Final Frontier, more credit than most. The Enterprise crew is dispatched to rescue hostages on a planet, only to find Spock’s Vulcan half-brother Sybok is behind the incident. Sybok’s true plan is to use the Enterprise and travel to the center of the galaxy in order to find the creator of all things on the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree. While everything loathed about the film, such as the dialogue, special effects, and William Shatner’s narcissistic directing, without a doubt make The Final Frontier a tough watch, the idea of searching for God in space intrigues me. There are so many groups of people who want to find our Creator and seek His presence here on Earth, so why is it such a lame concept for an alien to have the same desire?
7. Star Trek: Generations (6/6.4; released in 1994)
The potential for greatest Star Trek movie was there. Pitting two Enterprise captains against a former A Clockwork Orange maniac, what could possibly go wrong? Generations proved combining the leadership methods of James T. Kirk’s reckless endangerment and Jean-Luc Picard’s disciplined common sense did not make for good movie watching. Generations, the series seventh film, begins with The Original Series members Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and Pavel Chekov assisting in a rescue mission aboard USS Enterprise-B. Kirk is believed dead after being transported into a strip of energy called the Nexus. More than 75 years later, Picard’s The Next Generation crew, along with Kirk, must stop Dr. Tolian Soran from destroying a civilization in his attempt to re-enter the Nexus, as he was one of the ones rescued by the Enterprise-B. I can’t say exactly what makes Generations an average movie because I’m not sure what it is that hinders it. It simply doesn’t excite and intrigue like other Star Trek films.
6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (7/6.2; released in 1979)
The pioneer mission that took Star Trek to the big screen proved that, unlike movies such as The Godfather or Jaws, the first is not always the best. The Motion Picture is an adapted storyline from the abandoned continuation series, Star Trek: Phase II. The Enterprise must determine how to stop a massive cloud of energy with a living machine at its center that is destroying all life in its path to find its maker. The Motion Picture is a smart story that unfolds slowly, which is something a lot of moviegoers weren’t interested in after the popularity of sci-fi, action hits like Star Wars and Alien. Many argue the plot is too similar to an episode of The Original Series titled “The Changeling,” but never having seen that episode I feel the film is a pleasant addition and breathed life into the series again allowing for future films and television series.
5. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (7/7.3; released in 1986)
The fourth film of the series and final part of a trilogy-arc storyline, The Voyage Home sends the Enterprise crew back in time to San Francisco in order to find now-extinct humpback whales that can answer the call of a deadly alien probe threatening Earth in their present time. As director, Leonard Nimoy does a superior job balancing the environmental message with the comedy that comes from the future crews’ mishaps with what is perceived as primitive technology and people. You can really tell the cast let loose with this movie and saw it as an opportunity to be more relaxed than in previous Trek films. The Voyage Home is a fun movie that Trekkies and non-Trek fans alike can enjoy, proving Star Trek doesn’t have to have space battles, photon torpedoes, and alien villains to entertain.
4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (8/7.7; released in 1982)
Many believe the greatest movie of the series is the second, The Wrath of Khan. Not only a sequel to The Motion Picture, but also a continuation of the 1967 Original Series episode “Space Seed,” genetically-engineered Khan Noonien Singh seeks revenge on Kirk for deserting him and his people on an isolated planet. Where Star Trek films like The Final Frontier and Nemesis nearly killed the franchise, The Wrath of Khan had a complete opposite outcome, giving new life to the series. Ricardo Montalban’s Khan is a welcome return to the series as main antagonist and the parallel to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is well-suited for a swashbuckling space adventure. What hurts this movie is the acting, discounting Montalban and Leonard Nimoy, and the battle sequences, which have not aged well as computer technology and graphics continue to improve.
3. Star Trek: First Contact (8/7.6; released in 1996)
First Contact is the eighth movie in the series but a first in many categories, including first to feature no cast member of The Original Series and first to highlight the cybernetic organisms known as the Borg as the villain, which had been done on television but not in film. The Borg travel back in time to colonize and conquer Earth, leading Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E to stop it, while at the same time ensuring that the first test of a warp-drive vessel undertakes its mission without any interference. First Contact combines great action, visual effects, and time travel and ends up being one of the most thrilling adventures Star Trek has ever offered. A glaring misstep for the film is how heavily it relies on Trek-verse history and verbiage, leaving non-fans a bit in the dark on all the details, but not so much that a good time can’t still be had.
2. Star Trek (9/8.1; released in 2009)
Partly prequel, partly reboot, the eleventh film in the Star Trek series, appropriately named Star Trek, relates the origins of characters from The Original Series. The plot involves a Romulan named Nero traveling back in time and seeking revenge on the Federation planets Earth and Vulcan for events that have not yet happened. Providing a compelling story with plenty of action and humor makes this movie a well-received film by all moviegoers, but that the writers were able to seamlessly restart the series and provide an outlet for new stories is an amazing achievement. Another benefit to this film is the stellar casting for every single Enterprise crew member, especially Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy. Obviously, Trekkies were going to compare the old and new actors, but the cast does a great job recreating the characters and adding fresh nuances to the characters.
1. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (9/7.2; released in 1991)
One of the elements that made Star Trek such a hit in the 60s was taking real-world events and putting them into science-fiction scenarios, leading to society looking through a microscope at the problems going on around the globe. The sixth Star Trek film is in the vein of classic The Original Series episodes in that it chronicles what it would be like if the Berlin Wall coming down had taken place between alien races. The Enterprise must oversee peaceful talks between the Federation of Planets and Klingons when an environmental disaster forces the two to work with one another. The Undiscovered Country is well-paced, suspenseful as a whodunit plot unfolds, visually stunning, filled with action and comedy, and has great performances from the main cast and supporting characters, particularly Christopher Plummer as a Klingon general.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tragic Story Out Of Japan
My prayers go out to those in Japan affected by the earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit the country's shores earlier today. It is a tragic event that gave the Japanese people little to no warning.
Even with a rush of overwhelming footage taken of the destruction in Japan that has happened thus far, it is hard to fathom what an 8.9 earthquake would feel like when some of the most devastating quakes in history measured in the sevens on the Richter magnitude scale, such as last year's Haitian shock or the great San Francisco quake of 1906.
I hope Japan is able to recover soon during the aftermath and the death toll is lower than some are predicting. As far as the U.S. goes, with any luck the amount of time we have had to prepare and the great distance the waves have traveled with lessen the impact and destructive force of the tsunami in Hawaii and the west coast of America.
Even with a rush of overwhelming footage taken of the destruction in Japan that has happened thus far, it is hard to fathom what an 8.9 earthquake would feel like when some of the most devastating quakes in history measured in the sevens on the Richter magnitude scale, such as last year's Haitian shock or the great San Francisco quake of 1906.
I hope Japan is able to recover soon during the aftermath and the death toll is lower than some are predicting. As far as the U.S. goes, with any luck the amount of time we have had to prepare and the great distance the waves have traveled with lessen the impact and destructive force of the tsunami in Hawaii and the west coast of America.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Ten Defining 20th Century Dates In American History
While watching a documentary last night on Operation Valkyrie and the attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler, an interviewee stated July 20, 1944, as one of the top 10 dates in German history in the 20th century. It got me to thinking what the same criteria would result in for American history. Some are very obvious, but others I think are more subtle in their lasting effects on our current society.
The following are a list of 10 dates I believe to be monumental in our history set between January 1, 1901 and December 31, 2000. The list is in chronological order as I didn’t want to try and rank them in ascending order of consequence.
September 25, 1926: Henry Ford employs the 40-hour workweek
Though certainly not a saint and the reasons for doing so were self-serving, Henry Ford’s decision to go to an eight-hour, five-day a week work schedule revolutionized America’s labor force. The idea of working six days is hardly fathomable today and instead is seen as going far above and beyond the call of duty. This date also serves as a symbol of Ford’s other influences on the working class such as paying double the standard wage a decade earlier and implementing the assembly line, which began in 1908.
October 29, 1929: Black Tuesday
If there is any singular date in American history that defined a century, this would likely be it for the twentieth. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, began a decade-long Great Depression in America, leading to an unemployment rate of 25 percent by 1933, rapid rise in crime, mass migrations, and realization of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Not a single person could avoid feeling the effects of Black Tuesday and many were never able to fully recover from the financial ruin the country had suffered.
December 7, 1941: “A date which will live in infamy.”
As Roosevelt put it, “the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” Said attack sent America headlong into World War II, which had already been going on for two years among European and Asian countries. The attack on Pearl Harbor represents several important dates throughout the timeline of the Second World War, including D-day’s June 6, 1944, but what brought the war to a monstrous conclusion has its own spot on this list.
August 6/August 9, 1945: Dropping Little Boy and Fat Man
Although the conclusion of World War II was officially brought about by the Japanese Emperor’s declaration of surrender on August 12, it was the setting off of two atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki a week prior that signifies the end of the war. It is estimated that approximately 240,000 casualties were reported following the bombings. The decision to use atomic weapons on Japan was obviously not universally accepted and it has been debated ad nauseum as to whether President Harry Truman was justified in doing so. The effects of nuclear armament would create a Mexican standoff for centuries to come between America and the U.S.S.R.
December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks takes a stand by staying seated
Her defiant act against a ridiculous command to give up her seat to a white passenger because she was black wasn’t the first of its kind, but it was a symbol of the ongoing African-American Civil Rights Movement that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. There are plenty of moments from this period of our history I could have chosen, including Martin Luther King’s August 28, 1963 “I have a dream speech,” the desegregation of the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963, or King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, but Rosa Parks rebelliousness and the resulting boycott gave the Civil Rights Movement its initial victory and made King a standout leader of the cause.
November 22, 1963: Kennedy assassination
Not being born until 1980, I’ve never understood the fascination America had with the Kennedy family. The president's record as a leader was a bit underwhelming, but he was able to quell the Cuban missile crisis and he had a charisma that exuded security giving the American people a spirit of idealism. The allure of Camelot and a stable family life was rocked when Lee Harvey Oswald shot two bullets into the president while traveling through Dealey Plaza in Dallas. It is said people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the assassination, some even crying, losing their appetites, or suffering nausea.
February 9, 1964: The British are coming!
Some might think I’m over-estimating the influence the Beatles had in America on rock and roll music, but when Nielsen ratings show that 45 percent of televisions in the United States were tuned in to the band’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show it is safe to assume that a large portion of the country were interested in the new sound. Beatlemania paved an international path for other UK bands like The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Kinks, The Who, and countless others from the same era of music up to today’s hit musical acts.
July 20, 1969: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong’s message to earthlings was the culmination of a mission by President Kennedy to win a peaceful, but intense, space race between the United States and Soviet Union, hard work among the nation’s top scientists and aviators, and a national dream that mankind would travel above the heavens and explore outer space. It was a good feeling to be American because of NASA’s accomplishment and it made science fiction a reality. Everything going on in the country from the Vietnam War to the debate over free love could be forgotten for a moment and national pride reigned.
August 15-18, 1969: Woodstock/Vietnam War
The Woodstock Festival that featured such acts as Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, The Band, and Janis Joplin isn’t here simply because of what it was, but more because of the time period it represents. With the Vietnam War lasting nearly a full two decades and numerous monumental historic events taking place during that time period, including the Tet offensive on January 31, 1968, the June 17, 1972, Watergate scandal, or Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974, the Woodstock Festival encapsulates the varied mindsets Americans had at the time. These attitudes included the idea of peace, love, and rock and roll, fighting the man, and disapproval of the war. The concert became a symbol of the decade.
November 9, 1989: A city divided no more
As Woodstock was a symbol of an entire decade, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of an undefined war between capitalism and communism. Once the wall began construction in 1961, for nearly three decades the city of Berlin was split in two and it remained that way until after peaceful demonstrations beginning in September 1989 and mass departures by East German refugees the Socialist Unity Party of Germany declared the checkpoints along the Wall open for private travel. The fall of the Berlin Wall represented the downfall and end to communism for Eastern Germany and surrounding countries. Although not the complete end of communism and not an event that directly involved the United States, it was a major moment in American history nonetheless.
The following are a list of 10 dates I believe to be monumental in our history set between January 1, 1901 and December 31, 2000. The list is in chronological order as I didn’t want to try and rank them in ascending order of consequence.
September 25, 1926: Henry Ford employs the 40-hour workweek
Though certainly not a saint and the reasons for doing so were self-serving, Henry Ford’s decision to go to an eight-hour, five-day a week work schedule revolutionized America’s labor force. The idea of working six days is hardly fathomable today and instead is seen as going far above and beyond the call of duty. This date also serves as a symbol of Ford’s other influences on the working class such as paying double the standard wage a decade earlier and implementing the assembly line, which began in 1908.
October 29, 1929: Black Tuesday
If there is any singular date in American history that defined a century, this would likely be it for the twentieth. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, began a decade-long Great Depression in America, leading to an unemployment rate of 25 percent by 1933, rapid rise in crime, mass migrations, and realization of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Not a single person could avoid feeling the effects of Black Tuesday and many were never able to fully recover from the financial ruin the country had suffered.
December 7, 1941: “A date which will live in infamy.”
As Roosevelt put it, “the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” Said attack sent America headlong into World War II, which had already been going on for two years among European and Asian countries. The attack on Pearl Harbor represents several important dates throughout the timeline of the Second World War, including D-day’s June 6, 1944, but what brought the war to a monstrous conclusion has its own spot on this list.
August 6/August 9, 1945: Dropping Little Boy and Fat Man
Although the conclusion of World War II was officially brought about by the Japanese Emperor’s declaration of surrender on August 12, it was the setting off of two atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki a week prior that signifies the end of the war. It is estimated that approximately 240,000 casualties were reported following the bombings. The decision to use atomic weapons on Japan was obviously not universally accepted and it has been debated ad nauseum as to whether President Harry Truman was justified in doing so. The effects of nuclear armament would create a Mexican standoff for centuries to come between America and the U.S.S.R.
December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks takes a stand by staying seated
Her defiant act against a ridiculous command to give up her seat to a white passenger because she was black wasn’t the first of its kind, but it was a symbol of the ongoing African-American Civil Rights Movement that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. There are plenty of moments from this period of our history I could have chosen, including Martin Luther King’s August 28, 1963 “I have a dream speech,” the desegregation of the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963, or King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, but Rosa Parks rebelliousness and the resulting boycott gave the Civil Rights Movement its initial victory and made King a standout leader of the cause.
November 22, 1963: Kennedy assassination
Not being born until 1980, I’ve never understood the fascination America had with the Kennedy family. The president's record as a leader was a bit underwhelming, but he was able to quell the Cuban missile crisis and he had a charisma that exuded security giving the American people a spirit of idealism. The allure of Camelot and a stable family life was rocked when Lee Harvey Oswald shot two bullets into the president while traveling through Dealey Plaza in Dallas. It is said people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the assassination, some even crying, losing their appetites, or suffering nausea.
February 9, 1964: The British are coming!
Some might think I’m over-estimating the influence the Beatles had in America on rock and roll music, but when Nielsen ratings show that 45 percent of televisions in the United States were tuned in to the band’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show it is safe to assume that a large portion of the country were interested in the new sound. Beatlemania paved an international path for other UK bands like The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Kinks, The Who, and countless others from the same era of music up to today’s hit musical acts.
July 20, 1969: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong’s message to earthlings was the culmination of a mission by President Kennedy to win a peaceful, but intense, space race between the United States and Soviet Union, hard work among the nation’s top scientists and aviators, and a national dream that mankind would travel above the heavens and explore outer space. It was a good feeling to be American because of NASA’s accomplishment and it made science fiction a reality. Everything going on in the country from the Vietnam War to the debate over free love could be forgotten for a moment and national pride reigned.
August 15-18, 1969: Woodstock/Vietnam War
The Woodstock Festival that featured such acts as Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, The Band, and Janis Joplin isn’t here simply because of what it was, but more because of the time period it represents. With the Vietnam War lasting nearly a full two decades and numerous monumental historic events taking place during that time period, including the Tet offensive on January 31, 1968, the June 17, 1972, Watergate scandal, or Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974, the Woodstock Festival encapsulates the varied mindsets Americans had at the time. These attitudes included the idea of peace, love, and rock and roll, fighting the man, and disapproval of the war. The concert became a symbol of the decade.
November 9, 1989: A city divided no more
As Woodstock was a symbol of an entire decade, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of an undefined war between capitalism and communism. Once the wall began construction in 1961, for nearly three decades the city of Berlin was split in two and it remained that way until after peaceful demonstrations beginning in September 1989 and mass departures by East German refugees the Socialist Unity Party of Germany declared the checkpoints along the Wall open for private travel. The fall of the Berlin Wall represented the downfall and end to communism for Eastern Germany and surrounding countries. Although not the complete end of communism and not an event that directly involved the United States, it was a major moment in American history nonetheless.
Friday, March 04, 2011
Work-related Newsie Item
Some possible good news came my way today. While speaking with my boss about a friend’s upcoming wedding we veered to the topic of giving me some additional responsibilities regarding our company’s newsletter. Apparently the human resources department has been too busy to work on the newsletter, titled Factual Rumors, for the past three months. With my background in journalism and the underwriting department’s quick turnaround cycle creating plenty of spare time for me, it seemed logical to take over the newsletter.
It isn’t finalized yet, but my boss is looking into the idea. This would be a good springboard for me to continue working in a journalism capacity in case I ever am able to get back in the writing world. Since my resume has nothing regarding writing, editing, or other journalistic characteristics on it since 2009, this will be a great opportunity for me. I have gotten a lot more excited about the prospect of writing the company newsletter after thinking about it for a couple of hours. But again, it is not a done deal.
It isn’t finalized yet, but my boss is looking into the idea. This would be a good springboard for me to continue working in a journalism capacity in case I ever am able to get back in the writing world. Since my resume has nothing regarding writing, editing, or other journalistic characteristics on it since 2009, this will be a great opportunity for me. I have gotten a lot more excited about the prospect of writing the company newsletter after thinking about it for a couple of hours. But again, it is not a done deal.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Reviewing The Town
From now on, I will lower my expectations going into every movie I see, no matter how promising and exciting a trailer looks. I will fight the urge to let my adrenaline start pumping and put a hold on my imagination running wild with a movie’s potential because, ultimately, after 100 years of moviemaking Hollywood has few new and electrifying ideas to offer the general public. Sure, technology occasionally progresses enough to provide us a new outlet, like Avatar did with 3D or The Matrix with bullet time photography, but in general it is the same plots being regurgitated with new actors for a new generation of viewers. That’s not to say movies with rehashed plots and predictable outcomes can’t be enjoyable. Take this year’s Academy Award nominated film The Fighter. The acting in that movie is so stupendous that I could look past the fact that yet another boxing movie had been made.
I state all of this because I watched Ben Affleck’s The Town last night and was underwhelmed at the final product. The story seemed very reminiscent of Michael Mann’s 1995 crime thriller Heat. The acting ranged from average to pretty good. The accents of the Bostonian characters seemed too preposterous to be believed for anyone who hasn’t resided in Charlestown. It doesn’t matter if they were so authentic one couldn’t recognize who was really from the area, like Affleck, and who wasn’t, like Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively, at times it seemed like a Saturday Night Live sketch was going on and the joke was the over-the-top accents. The characterization of supporting characters was weak and the relationship between Affleck and Renner’s parts was never really fleshed out fully.
Overall, it just wasn’t the heist/crime/relationship drama I was expecting and only one scene really had me tense up wondering what was going to happen next. This is not to say Affleck didn’t do a serviceable job both in front of and behind the camera. It just never seemed like his creation, instead picking and choosing moments and ideas from previous movies and intertwining them into a new creation. Had I been given a little more insight into Renner’s psyche, some more scenes showing the relationship between Affleck and Renner, and a smidgen more enlightenment on the work the FBI was doing to hunt the bad guys it might have been a more complete film. I realize the movie was more about the relationship between a bank robber and the unknowing hostage he begins to date after the crime, but you still need some additional plotlines to help flesh out the movie more.
On a scale of 10, The Town gets a 6, putting it on par with movies like The Departed, Ocean’s Thirteen, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The Town is slightly above average, worth watching once.
I state all of this because I watched Ben Affleck’s The Town last night and was underwhelmed at the final product. The story seemed very reminiscent of Michael Mann’s 1995 crime thriller Heat. The acting ranged from average to pretty good. The accents of the Bostonian characters seemed too preposterous to be believed for anyone who hasn’t resided in Charlestown. It doesn’t matter if they were so authentic one couldn’t recognize who was really from the area, like Affleck, and who wasn’t, like Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively, at times it seemed like a Saturday Night Live sketch was going on and the joke was the over-the-top accents. The characterization of supporting characters was weak and the relationship between Affleck and Renner’s parts was never really fleshed out fully.
Overall, it just wasn’t the heist/crime/relationship drama I was expecting and only one scene really had me tense up wondering what was going to happen next. This is not to say Affleck didn’t do a serviceable job both in front of and behind the camera. It just never seemed like his creation, instead picking and choosing moments and ideas from previous movies and intertwining them into a new creation. Had I been given a little more insight into Renner’s psyche, some more scenes showing the relationship between Affleck and Renner, and a smidgen more enlightenment on the work the FBI was doing to hunt the bad guys it might have been a more complete film. I realize the movie was more about the relationship between a bank robber and the unknowing hostage he begins to date after the crime, but you still need some additional plotlines to help flesh out the movie more.
On a scale of 10, The Town gets a 6, putting it on par with movies like The Departed, Ocean’s Thirteen, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The Town is slightly above average, worth watching once.
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