[ONE]
Steven Spielberg
And finally, the man at the top of my list–Steven Spielberg!
He is definitely the most successful film director in my book and he’s
given me many happy hours in the cineplex (then at home) watching his
movies (over and over and over and over again).
I remember liking Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
so much during my teenage years that I think wore out a video copy of
the film. It got me interested in Spielberg’s storytelling style and
directorial verve and it got me scouring the video store shelves for
more of his flicks.
This is one director who stood the test of time, has proven his ability
to captivate audiences with his visual flair and imaginative method,
and can uncannily shift genres and still come up with great results.
Spielberg knows how to work each nuance of a film genre and it shows in
his diverse filmography and in the level of success he’s had with his
films. Whether he’s doing an all out sci-fi actioner or a tear-jerking
Oscar-caliber drama, he’s always met with critical and commercial
success (sometimes one more than the other).
There are no signs of stopping from this man as he’s currently working on another film, Munich, and has been recently attached to When Worlds Collide
as producer. I’m sure he’s still got more films (and tricks) up his
sleeve and more exciting and happy hours to give to the whole
movie-going world.
Looking forward to that.
My selection of Steven Spielberg is based on the following works:
• War of the Worlds (2005)
• The Terminal (2004)
• Catch Me If You Can (2002)
• Minority Report (2002)
• A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Amistad (1997)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
• Schindler’s List (1993)
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• Hook (1991)
• Always (1989)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
An uncle of mine e-mailed me this really funny anecdote. It should hopefully knock some sense into the heads of chronic latecomers.
First Confession Customer
A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.
"I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss’s wife and taken illegal drugs. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full good and loving people.".. ..
Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. "I’ll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to him in confession."
Moral: DON’T EVER BE LATE
[TWO]
James Cameron
He’s responsible for the world’s top grossing film of all time and most
of his successful movies start with a T… T for Terrific!
James Cameron is the man who brought us Titanic–the film that grossed $1,835,300,000 in the worldwide box office. He’s also spawned sensational Arnold Schwarzenegger starrers and some really mean sci-fi films.
The man knows how to put out a knockout action film peppered with
genuine enjoyment and uninterrupted ardor while still keeping the whole
emotional thing going.
And what he did with Titanic was just plain impressive making him truly deserving of his "I’m the king of the world" moment at the Oscars!
Lately, he’s been linked to rumors of an Aquaman movie! I think he’d be
perfect to direct this superhero film–he’s already mastered making
drama on the high seas (Titanic) and handled action underwater (The Abyss). I don’t see any greater credentials than that.
My selection of James Cameron is based on the following works:
• Titanic (1997)
• True Lies (1994)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• The Abyss (1989)
• Aliens (1986)
• The Terminator (1984)
I’ve been able to intermittently follow Rock Star: INXS, the latest reality tv series from Mark Burnett, the man behind hits like Survivor and The Apprentice. The show started with 15 rockers given the task of singing their hearts out for the chance of becoming INXS’s new frontman (or frontwoman).
As the weeks progress I get to see some really great (improving and
evolving) performances from the rockers. Last weeks show was opened by Suzie McNeil who was spectacular singing the Rolling Stones song Start Me Up. It was the first performance of hers in the series that really had me mesmerized. Performances from Mig Ayesa and Ty Taylor were also among the finest.
But the performer that I really admired that night was J.D. Fortune, who did a really powerful performance of Foreigner’s hit Cold As Ice. He really rocked liked a pro and his vocals were very strong. And if the comments of Dave Navarro
and the INXS band members are any indication, J.D. should be well on
his way to becoming the band’s new vocalist. Let’s hope his path is
littered with good fortune… pun intended.
Rock Star: INXS is really getting more and more exciting with only six
rockers left. I got a good feeling that J.D.’s got a lock on the prize.
We’ll see what happens.
[THREE]
Ridley Scott
Taking the third spot on my top 10 directors’ list is the very diversified Ridley Scott.
Diversity sets him apart from other directors around. And when I say
diversity I mean it in every sense of the word. He’s done films in
almost all of the available genres; he’s met both critical and
commercial success with his movies; he’s also had the opportunity of
putting out some films that have not been critically and commercially
successful. How’s that for variety?
I liked how he handled the colossal task of helming Gladiator
and how he managed to tame the usually irrepressible Russell Crowe
along with the other high caliber cast members Joaquin Phoenix, Richard
Harris and Oliver Reed. And not only that, he’s worked with some of
Hollywood’s great names: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Demi Moore,
Harrison Ford, and Tom Cruise among others.
Ridley Scott’s talents also stand out in films where the story doesn’t offer anything more than action. His direction of Kingdom of Heaven
was the only thing that made me stay for its entire screening. Waiting
for something in the story to really get me excited was the other. I
guess he just made the most of a less-than-ideal situation. Other than
that, I think most of his films are splendid.
My selection of Ridley Scott is based on the following works:
• Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
• Black Hawk Down (2001)
• Hannibal (2001)
• Gladiator (2000)
• G.I. Jane (1997)
• Thelma & Louise (1991)
• Legend (1986)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• Alien (1979)
Click on image for a larger version.
| What Your Dreams Mean… |
|
Your dreams seem to show that you’re a bit disturbed… but nothing serious.
You may have a problem you’re trying to work out in your sleep.
You tend to be a very productive thinker.
Your dreams tend to reflect your insecurities.
You have a very vivid imagination and a rich creative mind.
|
Ok. First of all, everybody is "disturbed".
Second, aren’t our dreams the venue for solving most problems? (Psych 101?)
Third, yes! I am a productive thinker, but more productive as a daydreamer, which technically is thinking anyway. (hehehe)
Fourth, everybody’s got "insecurities".
And finally, I do have a vivid imagination and a rich creative mind
that more often that not gets me into trouble… but that’s another
story. =o)
Your Ideal Relationship is Serious
Dating |
You’re not ready to go walking down the aisle.
But you may be ready in a couple of years.
You prefer to date one on one, with a commitment.
And while chemistry is important, so is
compatibility. |
Ok. "Not ready to walk down the aisle"… CHECK!
"You may be ready in a couple of years"… CHECK!
"Prefer to date one on one with commitment"… CHECK!
"Chemistry and compatibility is important"… CHECK!
"Girl in the picture"… uhmmm?
[FOUR]
Wolfgang Petersen
He captured my imagination as a child with The Neverending Story.
It was a well told fantasy story and the young lad in me was whisked
away into an out-of-this-world experience. I’ve since then come to
associate movies (or most of them anyway) with the same trance-like,
escapist feeling of adventure. That’s what Wolfgang Petersen did for me back then.
In his recent films, Petersen has shown that he still has the flair for
the excellent, the exhilarating and the suspenseful and his films
always have that sense of grandeur, always tacking a subject larger
than life. Consider his body of work and you’ll see what I mean.
The best thing about watching a Wolfgang Petersen film is that you
never leave the theater (or get off the couch) feeling swindled of your
money or defrauded of a good time. That’s how great a director he is.
My selection of Wolfgang Petersen is based on the following works:
• Troy (2004)
• The Perfect Storm (2000)
• Air Force One (1997)
• Outbreak (1995)
• In the Line of Fire (1993)
• The Neverending Story (1984)
You are Locke. A mystery
within a mystery. You’re a fountain of backgammon trivia
and an expert with knives. You might like piñacoladas
and definitely like getting caught in the rain. You
prefer keeping to yourself mostly, but you’ll tell your
secrets to the right person. Are you evil? Your
accompanying soundtrack sure is sinister.
Which Lost Character Are
You?
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