Netflix Pick of the Week #9: Short Term 12

This blog has been running for months and I'm on Week 9 of Netflix picks.  Nice job Ryan.  I'm going to try to make these more weekly rather than couple-of-monthsly.

Short Term 12 (2013)

Starring: That Girl I've seen in things, That guy who's in The Newsroom, That guy who looks familiar, a bunch of kids
Premise: A group of 20-something year olds work at a residential treatment facility and help you realize that you don't want to have kids yet.
Quote: "Yeah, I see that he's wearing an American Flag cape, but does no one else notice how tiny his nipples are?" - Grace (Brie Larson)
One Sentence Review: You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll have a sudden craving for cupcakes.

In All Seriousness:

I'm really happy that this movie was put on Netflix, because it was my third favorite film from last year, and no one has seen it.  Now that it's readily available to every Netflix user (and anyone who uses their friend's account), I hope that more people will watch it.  Brie Larson, who you probably recognize from movies like 21 Jump Street and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, shows that she's got some really solid dramatic acting chops.  Expect to see her name a lot in the future.  And if you watch HBO's The Newsroom (which you should if you don't already), you know that John Gallagher Jr. can act.  And he proves that even further here.  Short Term 12 touches on a few serious subjects, but still keeps it light enough so that the audience can laugh, and not go into an immediate deep depression.  That being said, there are parts that will pull on those heart strings of yours, so much so that I got a little choked up a few times during this film.  So in conclusion, if you're looking for a movie to watch this weekend, here it is.  And if you watch it, please let me know what you think.

~Ryan Moncrief

Top 20 Albums of All-Time

I do a lot of film things on this here blog, so I figured it was time to sit down and figure out my Top 20 albums of all-time.  It was a lot harder than I was expecting.  There were some albums that I wish I listened to more so I could include them.  There were some albums that I love and struggled to leave off.  There is also lack of many rap albums, which makes me realize how white my taste in music is, and that I need to start listening to some more rap.  Feel free to make fun of me, and tell me what albums you like from my list.  But mainly make fun of me.

In All Seriousness:

20. 'Is This It' (2001) by The Strokes

Favorite Song: The Modern Age

I discovered this album back during my freshman year of high school.  During winter break of this year was the first year that I actually escaped my comfort zone and started listening to albums instead of random singles that were on the radio.  This was the first entire album that I actually owned, and I loved it.  I listened to it on repeat that winter break.

19. 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver' (2011) by Bon Iver

Favorite Song: Minnesota, WI

In my senior year I was given this album on a CD and I listened to it in my car all throughout that summer.  I thought it was so perfect and that all of the songs flowed so well together.  Justin Vernon is one of my favorite singers right now.

18. 'OK Computer' (1997) by Radiohead

Favorite Song: Paranoid Android

Radiohead recently became one of my favorite bands of all-time.  I wasn't really big into them when I first started getting into alternative/indie music, but I gave them another chance and became such a huge fan.  This won't be the last time you see them on this list.

17. 'Audioslave' (2002) - Audioslave

Favorite Song: I Am the Highway

This was the 2nd album I ever listened to in it's entirety when I first started getting into music.  I always really liked the sound of singers like Chris Cornell, Eddie Vedder, Scott Weiland, etc.  This mixed with Tom Morello's cool guitar riffs was exactly what the doctor ordered back then, and the album has held up for me since then.

16. 'The Blue Album' (1994) by Weezer

My Favorite Song: My Name Is Jonas

I really enjoy Weezer, but I don't think they'll ever make an album as good as this one.  Pinkerton was close, but it's not as consistently good in my opinion.  The Blue Album has so many great songs, it could be a Weezer Greatest Hits album. I love singing along to this album in the car.

15. 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' (1991) by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Favorite Song: Under the Bridge

Another album that could double as a greatest hits album.  This is far and away my favorite Chili Peppers album.  It has my 2 favorite songs by them, and as a whole is just really great.  It seems crazy to me that his album came out before I was born.

14. 'Sublime' (1996) - Sublime

Favorite Song: Wrong Way

Yeah, this list is definitely going to be very 90's heavy.  I love the 90's.  The 90's is my favorite era of music.  Sublime is the only ska/reggae band I've ever really gotten into.  But they make me want to venture out into the genre a little for sure.

13. 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969) by Led Zeppelin

Favorite Song: Heartbreaker

Led Zeppelin is by far my favorite classic rock band of all-time.  I've been a huge fan of them since I was a little kid, and this album has always been my favorite by them.  A close second was Led Zeppelin IV, but II has a heavier sound that I like a lot.  The riffs on Heartbreaker and Ramble On.  The intensity of Whole Lotta Love and What Is and What Never Should Be.  This album is just awesome.

12. 'Kill the Moonlight' (2002) by Spoon

Favorite Song: The Way We Get By

Spoon has been one of my favorite bands for a few years now.  The lyrics that Britt Daniel write are great.  And they have such a cool, unique sound.  Kill the Moonlight is a perfect album to start with if you're trying to get into Spoon.

11. 'Talon of the Hawk' (2013) by The Front Bottoms

Favorite Song: Santa Monica

Maybe I'm jumping the gun on this album considering I discovered The Front Bottoms a few weeks ago.  But I've given this album so many listens within the past few weeks and it's pretty much perfect.  Every song is filled with great writing and awesome rhythms.  So excited to see them live in June.

10. 'Deja Entendu' (2003) by Brand New

Favorite Song: The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

I would love to see Brand New live.  I hadn't listened to them until this year.  But throughout the year this album has moved it's way up on my list.  I was torn between this and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, but in the end I decided that this album as a whole was better.  It's a perfect combination of their punkier stuff before it and their heavier stuff after it.

9. 'Consolers of the Lonely' (2008) by The Raconteurs

Favorite Song: Many Shades of Black

There was a time when Many Shades of Black was my favorite song.  It's not any more, but it's still one of my favorites for sure.  This sophomore album from The Raconteurs was miles better than their still very good debut album.  It's sad that we probably won't see another Raconteurs album, at least not anytime soon.

8. 'Because of the Times' (2007) by Kings of Leon

Favorite Song: Fans

Here is a band I've already seen in concert, and they were great.  Most of their best songs come from this album.  It's so consistently good, there is not a song I would think about skipping on this album.  Also Fans is another previous favorite song of mine.

7. 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' (1995) by Smashing Pumpkins

Favorite Song: Stumbleine

Smashing Pumpkins is my second favorite band of all-time.  I just love the range of their songs, especially on this album.  They can go intense with a song like Bullet with Butterfly Wings, or they can go softer with a song like Stumbleine.  This album is epic.  And I already hate myself for using the word epic in a way that wasn't ironic.

6. 'AM' (2013) by Arctic Monkeys

Favorite Song: Snap Out of It

Arctic Monkeys are one of my favorite bands for sure.  I liked them a lot before this album, but they really outdid their other work with AM.  It's incredible.  Not a single song is filler.  Great album to blast in the car.

5. 'Ten' (1991) by Pearl Jam

Favorite Song: Black

Not only is this one of my favorite albums, but I'd argue that it's one of the best albums ever made as well.  At least one of the best debut albums ever.  The writing is awesome, and I'd say at least 5 of my Top 10 Pearl Jam songs are on this album.

4. 'The Bends' (1995) by Radiohead

Favorite Song: Just

Radiohead's second album The Bends is pretty much what really got me into them.  I listened to this album and fell in love.  It made me want to listen to every other album they've made, and I did that same day.  After listening to them all several times, The Bends has gotten the most plays from me and it remains my favorite for sure.

3. 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' (2010) by Kanye West

Favorite Song: Blame Game

I'm even sad that this is my only rap album on this list.  I promise I like rap music guys, I just haven't listened to enough.  And I haven't like any other albums enough to give them a spot on my list.  That being said, it shows you how much I love this album due to the fact that it's the only rap album and it's this high on my list.  It's the perfect rap album in my opinion, and I don't see anything replacing it for a while.

2. 'Modern Vampires of the City' (2013) by Vampire Weekend

Favorite Song: Step

Vampire Weekend is and has been since Contra, my favorite band.  Seeing them last year was amazing.  I'm biased, but it's the best concert I've been to.  I was so happy that this album exceeded my unrealistically high expectations when it came out.  Ezra Koenig wrote some of the most clever lyrics I've heard in a while.  Even after what has to be over a hundred listens, this album stays fresh and interesting each time.

1. 'Siamese Dream' (1993) by Smashing Pumpkins

Favorite Song: Mayonaise

If someone asked what I would pick as the perfect album, this would be my answer every time.  It holds up so well today, and will hold up in the future.  Another great representation of Billy Corgan and the band as a whole's range.  The softer Disarm and Spaceboy mix perfectly with the harder Geek U.S.A and Rocket.  I don't really know what to say about this album other than I love it, and listen to it if you haven't already.

~Ryan Moncrief

Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Warning: This is not a sequel to the movie "Hotel for Dogs".  A Grand Budapest is not a type of large, muscular dog.  Even though that would be such a cool dog name.  And this hotel is not filled with dogs.  Just people, for the most part.  I can not stress enough that this is not about a dog hotel.  Don't make this mistake.

In All Seriousness:

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Jude Law, F. Murray Abraham, Saiorse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, I'll stop here.  There are soooo many notable people in this movie.

In the few years since I became an avid viewer of films, Wes Anderson has been one of my go-to filmmakers whenever I'm asked to list a few of my favorites.  I look forward to each and every one of his films, and I love the style of filmmaking that Wes has created for himself.  The story book feel, the symmetrical shots, the large ensemble cast, the adult-like kids and kid-like adults; all of these things are Wes Anderson trademarks that are quite apparent in his newest film.

While The Grand Budapest Hotel does have a lot of these Wes Anderson quirks, it seemed to be the most different from the rest of his filmography.  First off, it felt the most R-rated of his R-rated films.  More cursing/nudity/violence than I was expecting, but it was a nice change of pace from Anderson's two previously most recent films, the PG-rated Fantastic Mr. Fox and the PG-13 rated Moonrise Kingdom.  

This film also felt like the most fast-paced of Anderson's films.  He is usually able to squeeze a lot into his hour-and-a-half-long films, but this film moved very quickly.  The characters all talked, and moved quickly, the camera moved quickly, the story moved quickly.  It felt like a Wes Anderson film on speed.  That being said, I liked how fast it was.  It forces you to give your complete attention to the film from the very beginning to the very end, or you'll miss something important.  There is not a wasted second of film here.

The cast of Grand Budapest kind of felt like the Wes Anderson All-Star team.  He has a good amount of newcomers, but many of the supporting roles are filled with actors he's used in previous films.  All of them did their part, no matter how small their role was.  Although, like with any film I've seen in my life, a little more Bill Murray wouldn't have hurt.

I've always loved the writing in Wes Anderson's films.  All of his scripts are so clever and funny.  I think this might be might favorite script of his though.  The dialogue is fast and every punch-line hits.  Anderson also does a great job of creating suspense and intensity at several points throughout the film, which is a bit unusual for one of his films.  He can create drama very well, but this is the first time during one of his films where my heart was actually racing with anticipation multiple times.

In conclusion, The Grand Budapest Hotel both fits perfectly with the rest of his filmography, and feels a little different from his previous works.  So if your a Wes Anderson fan I obviously recommend you see it.  If you're not a Wes Anderson fan, maybe you'll like the slightly different feel, so I recommend you see it.  If you have never seen a Wes Anderson film before, this is a good entry point to his work, so I recommend you see it.  Or if you're just looking for a well-made film with strong themes of friendship and fighting loneliness, than I would definitely recommend this.  Basically I just really like this film, and you should watch it.  Really soon.  Like this week.  Or today.

Rating: 9/10

~Ryan Moncrief

A Love Note to How I Met Your Mother

In All Seriousness:

During my Junior year of high school, which was 4 years ago, I watched my first episode of How I Met Your Mother.  This episode that I watched was "The Three Days Rule,"(Episode 21 of Season 4) where Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) changes one of Ted's (Josh Radnor) potential love interest's numbers in Ted's phone as Barney's number, and when Ted inevitably texts her right away Barney and Marshall (Jason Segel) pretend to be her.  I was attempting to do homework at the time, but I wound up not a doing a single second of it while this episode was on.  I was too engrossed in it to even look at my homework.  This episode was so interesting and funny.  The characters were likable.  And the episode just worked on it's own without me knowing much backstory about the show.  I was immediately hooked, like a guy who swore he was only going to try crystal meth once.

After that day I decided I would start the show from the beginning, and try to catch up to wherever they were in the series.  Well, I started Season 1 the next day.  By Sunday of that week, I had watched every episode up to "The Three Days Rule," which shows you how much time I had on my hands in high school, and how obsessed I was with this show already.

The obsession didn't end with just constantly watching episodes.  Not even close.  I bought the DVDs of the seasons when they came out, I made constant facebook statuses and tweets about my love for this show, I was Neil Patrick Harris for celebrity day at school, and Barney Stinson for Halloween that year.  I started incorporating countless HIMYM phrases like, "Suit up!" and "Lawyer'd" in every day life.  I watched HIMYM every night before I went to sleep and every morning before school.  I introduced countless people to the show.  I started doing Slap Bets in real life.  I had every original song from the show on my iPhone.  I re-watched the entire show in order with two of my friends.  I did the math one day and estimated that I've watched about 32 days worth of HIMYM.  That's 24-hour days, over a month (in Earth time).  It's still to the point where I might need an intervention (HA HA, reference to the show!).

Now, after nine seasons of slaps, Robin Sparkles songs, Ted girlfriends, catch phrases, naked mans, ducky ties, marriage proposals, and all of those good HIMYM things that I love so much, the show is coming to an end.  I don't care who you are, if you watch TV (and aren't a soulless human being) you have at least one show that actually effects your life in a major way (*salutes* Major Way).  It'll make you cry, it'll make you laugh so hard that you cry (unless it's like Law and Order or something), and you'll reference it constantly without caring if people get the reference or not.

I want to give an open thank you to everyone who is involved with creating the show, and all of the fans who kept it going for 9 seasons.  The creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the writers, Pamela Fryman and the other directors, the producers, the great cast of Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris (and Cristin Milioti).  Not only has HIMYM helped me get even more excited to potentially tell stories like this as a hopeful filmmaker, it also has helped me in my life.  Whether I'm sad, I'm happy, I'm going through a break-up, I'm in a good relationship, I'm in a bad relationship, HIMYM has and will always be something I can use to just get through life.  The show has helped me create and further friendships, it's given me confidence and allowed me to be more outgoing, and it taught me things that I didn't even know I needed to learn.

This upcoming Monday will be as bittersweet as bittersweet can get.  I'll sing the opening song to a new episode for the last time, I'll see these characters in a new episode for the last time, and I'll get a conclusion to the question I've been wondering about for 9 years.  It sounds silly to feel this way about a television show, but when it becomes such a big part of your life, you can't help but feel sad when it's over.  My expectations are extremely high, but there is no doubt in my mind that in the final minutes of the show I'll get an incredibly satisfying ending set to the perfect indie rock song.  I'll finally feel relief now that Ted has met his perfect girl.  And for the first time in my life, an episode of television will make me cry.

~Ryan Moncrief

Ryan's Favorite Things: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Welcome to a new feature on this blog of mine called Ryan's Favorite Things.  IT'S MY FAVORITE THINGS!  YOU GET A THING!  YOU GET A THING!  EVERYBODY GETS A THINGGGGG!

I am so terribly sorry about that.  Basically what Ryan's Favorite Things is going to be is I will give an analysis or review of one of my favorite things, whether that be a favorite movie, album, tv show, comedian, movie/tv show scene, song, book, etc.  And then you will read this review or analysis and either agree with me or disagree and stop being my friend because you take opinions VERY seriously.  Anyway here is my first Ryan's Favorite Thing: My favorite hip-hop album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' by Kanye West.

(The alternate cover because you never know if there are kids glancing over the shoulders of my 30+ year old demographic readers)

In All Seriousness

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Track List:

1. Dark Fantasy

2. Gorgeous

3. POWER

4. All of the Lights (Interlude)

5. All of the Lights

6. Monster

7. So Appalled

8. Devil in a New Dress

9. Runaway

10. Hell of a Life

11. Blame Game

12. Lost in a World

13. Who Will Survive in America

"Well gather 'round children. Zip it. Listen."  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came out around the time when myself (along with most of the population) were mad at Kanye for jacking Taylor Swift's MTV VMA acceptance speech.  Because of this I was a little slow to giving this album a listen, but I eventually forgave Kanye for being mean and realized that I don't really care what he does in public as long as he keeps making music that I like.  

The album stars off with Dark Fantasy, which after the first few listens of MBDTF was my favorite song off the album.  After Nicki Minaj's little monologue at the beginning of the song, the chorus states "Can we get much higher?"  This states the goal of the album in a way.  Kanye has already reached critical and commercial success with his previous albums, could he get even higher than the very top is what he's asking himself.  I think he tops himself with MBDTF, his most consistently good album.

The production value is rivaled by very few albums in rap history in my opinion, and is easily the best in his discography.  The hook and beat on each one of his songs is catchy and original.  The chanting in  the background of POWER gives me chills every time I hear it.  The instrumentals behind All of the Lights, and backing vocals of the thousand (exaggeration) people that Kanye got for this song create one of the most interesting songs he has ever made.  Runaway's production is a musical masterpiece that makes a 9 minute song a joy to listen to every time.

I wouldn't say Kanye is really known for being an amazing lyricist.  That being said, some of his most clever, well-written lyrics are found on this album.  "Too many Urkels on your team, that's why your wins low." from Dark Fantasy, "I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts. I got treasures in my mind, but couldn't open up my own vault." from POWER, and "I'm living in the future so the presence is my past, my presence is a present, kiss my a**." from Monster are a few of my favorite lyrics (well the cleaner ones, my mom reads this) from the album.  And additionally I have to give praise to some of the supporting verses, such as Nicki Minaj's verse in Monster, which is probably the best part of the song, and the best work she's ever done in her career.  A lot of the verses in So Appalled are really cool.  And while it's not a verse, the ending of Blame Game in which Chris Rock talks for 3 minutes is one of my favorite things in the world, and I am too proud to say that I can recite the whole thing.

4 years after My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came out, and it's my most listened to hip-hop album, if not my most most listened to album in any genre of all-time.  With each listening of the album I get something new out of it, and for this reason I haven't gotten sick of these songs.  I can listen to it at the gym, laying in bed, driving in my car, it's good in any environment.  MBDTF, is my go-to album when I'm trying to listen to a perfect album, and I'd be surprised if any rap album tops it any time soon.

The next Ryan's Favorite Thing: My favorite movie, Boogie Nights.

~Ryan Moncrief

10 Shows to Binge Watch on Netflix

Bingeing television shows on Netflix has become sort of a national pastime.  It's rare now to find someone who doesn't have or at least use a Netflix account for the instant streaming.  It's also rare to find someone who still gets DVDs sent to them through Netflix.  Ain't nobody got time for dat.

I've seen a very solid amount of tv shows, and this is mainly thanks to the large collection of shows that are available on Netflix.  With this post I'm gonna help narrow down your list of selections, and single out some of my favorites.  So get ready to continue failing classes and telling your friends that "you are sick" and "can't hang out" so you can watch 10 more episodes of your new favorite show.  Here are 10 shows that will actually ruin every aspect of your life with how addictive they are.

In All Seriousness:

Breaking Bad (5 Seasons)

Well I'm going to start with the obvious.  If you haven't seen Breaking Bad yet, stop reading now, and watch it.  When you inevitably finish the 60 episodes of this show in a few days, come back to this post and read the rest of it.  Now get out of here, or I'll send you on a trip to Belize. (You have a looooong time before you know what that means.)

House of Cards (2 Seasons)

House of Cards, Netflix's most popular original series, is hard to not watch in large chunks.  Each episode has an ending that makes you NEED to see what happens next, and before you know it you're on your 6th episode in a row and it's 4 am on a school night.  Kevin Spacey leads a cast of great actors who play really great characters.  And it's these characters that you get so attached to and curious about, that keeps you coming back for more with this show.

Parks and Recreation (5 Seasons)

The worst part of watching Parks and Rec is trying to pick which character is your favorite.  It's nearly impossible, you'll have to keep it to like a Top 5.  But anyway the employees of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation department will have you laughing non-stop.  If you're having a bad day, watch an episode or 12 and just enjoy life for a little while.

Twin Peaks (2 Seasons)

If you are a fan of weird, quirky, stylized shows that are filled with donuts, cherry pie, and coffee, and could only come from the mind of someone like David Lynch, then this is literally the perfect show for you.  Because that's exactly what this is, a unique mystery show revolving around the murder of a high school senior, and is created by David Lynch.  The citizens of Twin Peaks are an interesting group, and they along with the great writers make you want to finish the show in one sitting.  And if the episodes weren't 45 minutes long you just might be able to.

How I Met Your Mother (8 Seasons)

8 Seasons (season 9, the last season, is airing right now) seems like a lot for a story about a guy trying to meet his wife.  But it's more than just that, it's about this group of friends and everything they have been through leading up to the main character finally meeting his true love.  There are jokes and episodes that will have you crying from laughter, and there are moments that will have you crying.  Because HIMYM isn't shy about bringing the feels, especially when you become so attached to these characters.

Lost (6 Seasons)

Lost was a huge hit during it's run on ABC.  I have to say though, it's so much more fun to binge this show than it was to wait for the next new episode.  Because with each episode this show answers some of your questions, and then gives you twice as many.  So not having to wait a week between episodes, or months between season finales and premieres is great.  Because this show will take over your mind, and not let you stop thinking about it. The ending got mixed reactions, but it my opinion it ended the way that it should have.  But that's just me, form your own opinion when you watch the show.

Arrested Development (4 Seasons)

One of, if not the most cleverly written shows in the history of television.  Every single character has their own unique personality and would be the funniest character on any other show.  But on AD it's hard to pick a funniest character.  You kind of just love everyone, including the tons of side characters and celebrity cameos.  This show is also better with multiple viewings, you'll catch jokes you might have missed the first time, and change your favorite character each time.  So I recommend you binge watch this show several times.

The Office [US] (9 Seasons)

Steve Carell's Michael Scott is one of the funniest characters you'll see on a TV show.  Each episode is filled with endless quotes, and like HIMYM, some episodes are not afraid to bring the feels as well.  If you get through the first season and don't want to watch this entire show immediately, then I guess you just don't enjoy humor or know what jokes are.  But that's what we have dramas for, so it's totally fine.

Mad Men (5 Seasons)

One of the most critically rewarded television shows ever, Mad Men makes a story about a bunch of advertisers from the 50's really interesting.  Mixing actual events of the time with the fictional drama of the show is interesting.  This show does the opposite of what shows like Arrested Development and Parks and Rec does, in that you don't love all of the characters.  Actually you'll find very few characters that you'll love.  But you do care about what happens to all of them.  If you haven't seen Mad Men yet, maybe it's time for you to check out what all of the fuss is about.  And by 'maybe' I mean it absolutely is time for you to check out what all of the fuss is about.

Cheers (11 Seasons)

A lot of these shows are very serialized, the good thing about Cheers is that for the most part you can pretty much come in at any time, and not be too lost.  I wanted to give one suggestion of a show where you can watch it in order, or you can pick out episodes that look good and watch those.  But obviously I recommend you watch them in order from start to finish.  Cheers is one of the most enduring comedies, in that some of today's generation will enjoy it.  And so will the generation that grew up with this show.

There you go, 10 shows for you all to binge watch.  Keep in mind that there are plenty of shows that I left off for reasons such as not having many episodes even though I really enjoy it (Louie, Bob's Burgers), there are some shows that I have been meaning to watch that I haven't gotten around to yet (Friday Night Lights, The West Wing, Freaks and Geeks, etc.) and some shows that I loved the first 4 seasons of, but the last 4 seasons tasted like rotten dough (Dexter, Dexter, Dexter).  So if you think I should have had different show on my list, let me know in the comments.

Netflix Pick of the Week #8: Raging Bull

Raging Bull (1980)

Starring: Fat Robert De Niro, Skinny Robert De Niro, Normal-Sized Joe Pesci,
Premise: A boxer punches people in a boxing ring...and outside of a boxing ring.
Quote: "Ohhh, c'mon!  Where's the bull?  I thought there was gonna be a bull in this movie!" - Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro)
One Sentence Review: Robert De Niro gained 60 pounds so you could watch this movie, so you have to watch it!

In All Seriousness:

Critically Raging Bull is known as one of the greatest films ever made.  It is hard to argue with that.  De Niro, Pesci, Scorcese all give 100% in this film.  It's technically a sports movie because it's about boxing, but I'd say it's more a portrait of a really intense guy, who happened to also be a famous boxer. The cinematography looks great, and although black and white is off-putting to the more casual film viewer, it adds a lot to the film.  If you haven't seen Raging Bull yet, give it a watch, it's Robert De Niro's best performance (in my opinion).  And one of Scorsese's best in a career filled with great films.

~Ryan Moncrief

Top 20 Films of 2013

The final end of the year post (coming in late January); it's finally time to give my 20 Favorite films of 2013.  It has been a great year for film, and it was hard for me to even narrow it down to 20 films that I wanted to talk about.  And when it's hard for me to squeeze all of my favorite films into a list of 20, that's a sign of me watching way too many movies.  Before I give my list I have a few awards that I would like to give out to different films from this year.

The Confirmation that Space is Scary as Hell Award: Gravity

The Best Portrayal of a Demon Penis Award: This Is The End

The White People are Jerks Award: 12 Years a Slave

The Childhood Destroyer Award: Spring Breakers

The Best Use of a Cat Scrotum Joke Award: Inside Llewyn Davis

The Requiem for a Dream Most Drugs of the Year Award: The Wolf of Wall Street

The John Stamos Best Hair of the Year Award: Bradley Cooper in American Hustle

In All Seriousness:

20. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Anchorman 2 continues the story of the legendary Ron Burgundy.  Although the first one is better, the second one is a worthy sequel that still delivers a lot of laughs.  It definitely helps that the number 1 news team in America consists of one of the best comedy teams you'll find in any recent comedy.

19. American Hustle

American Hustle lacks a bit in it's story, but the acting is for the most part unrivaled this year.  David O. Russell always gets great performances from his cast, and his regular cast members Bale, Cooper, Adams, and Lawrence all are terrific here(and also all were nominated for an Oscar this year).  I'd also like to mention that the interactions between Bradley Cooper and Louis CK in this film are some of the funniest moments in film of the year.

18. Blackfish

Other great documentaries from this year; Stories We Tell and The Art of Killing both changed the way documentaries can and will be made in the future.  Blackfish, however, had the biggest impact on me of the documentaries I watched last year.  Everything that has happened and is happening with the Killer Whales at Sea World deserves to be brought to the public's attention.  This important documentary will surely get the word out if people keep talking about it.      

17. Frozen

The great thing about animated films is that they appeal to all age groups.  I know both adults and little kids who enjoy this film a lot, and also college students such as myself.  Frozen has music that's enjoyable and performed beautifully.  As well as some really spectacular animation and storytelling that continues proving that animated films can be really great critically and commercially.

16. Spring Breakers

This exaggerated look at Spring Break life with little hints of a crime film is one of the most interesting films this year.  The cinematography and editing is some of the best, and sadly very underrated.  Certainly not for everyone, but if you appreciate the technical aspects of film it's worth at least one viewing.

15. Drinking Buddies

This largely improvised relationship dramedy has some of the most realistic portrayals of relationships I've seen.  The chemistry between Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson (two actors I really love) is fantastic. The always great Anna Kendrick also is strong as Johnson's character's girlfriend.  Easy to watch, and filled with believable moments.

14. Rush

Rush was a pleasant surprise.  I didn't have much interest in this until I heard really great things about it.  Daniel Bruhl really is great as Nikki Lauda, and Chris Hemsworth is solid as his rival in this F1 racing drama.  The cinematography is really great and could have gotten some awards recognition if more people saw this film.  The biggest snub for this film though is clearly Daniel Bruhl's lack of an Oscar nomination.

13. Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips was intense.  It grips you from the second it seems like there is trouble, and holds on to you literally until the end.  Tom Hanks has been getting a lot of praise for playing Captain Phillips, and particularly the last scene he is in.  It's some of the best work he's done in a while.

12. The Way Way Back

A film that will make you want summer even more than you already do.  The Way Way Back has a lot of laugh, and that's mainly because of the great acting and delivery of Sam Rockwell.  His character is one of my favorites from this year.  Also the main character Duncan's nickname, Pop N Lock, is one of the best nicknames ever given to a movie character.

11. Before Midnight

I think it's better if you have seen the previous two Before films (Before Sunrise and Before Sunset), so that you get attached to the characters.  But even if you just watch this film on it's own, it still works really well as a portrait of the struggles of marriage.  Richard Linklater gives a really well-written, well-acted, strong conclusion to the story of Jesse and Celine.

10. Prisoners

I was a little skeptical of this film, because I thought they gave away the whole thing in the trailer for it. While they did kind of reveal more than they should have, they didn't even touch the surface of the twists and turns that are within this film.  One of the best thrillers of the year, I was thinking about it for days after I watched it.

9. The Hunt

This film from Denmark is on Netflix, and should be seen by a lot of people.  Don't let the subtitles scare you, Mads Mikkelson (the bad guy from Casino Royale) gives a heart-breaking performance as a kindergarten teacher who is falsely accused of sexual assault.  The story is a little depressing, but it's executed incredibly.

8. Gravity

Out of all of the films I've seen this year, I was more glad to see this in theaters than any other film.  It's really a technical masterpiece, and one of the best looking films from last year.  Director Alfonso Cuaron put a lot of hard work into this, and it paid off.  A film I will definitely be owning on Blu-ray at some point in the future.

7. Blue is the Warmest Color

A film that is 3 hours long, has to be REALLY good if it's going to keep my interest and make me want to watch it again, because 3 hours is a lot of time to invest in a movie.  This coming-of-age film has one of the best performances of the year from Adele Exarchopoulos.  A lot of this film was improvised, which I think is the reason why it feels so real.   

6. Frances Ha

I feel like Frances Ha is gonna be either a love or hate kind of film for most people.  It's a character driven film, so if you don't like the character of Frances than you aren't going to like this film.  I really enjoy Greta Gerwig and her portrayal of the awkward, funny, spontaneous Frances.  I like seeing all of the situations she gets into, and her growth throughout the film, which is the reason why I love this film so much.

5. 12 Years a Slave

As of right now, in my opinion, Steve McQueen has a perfect filmography so far with this film, Shame, and Hunger.  Another film that was great to see in theaters because of it's beautiful shots.  A cast of great actors give high quality performances.  But the real star here is Steve McQueen and his great directing.  His decision to linger on certain shots so you can fully appreciate each and every one of them is astounding.  Of the three films I think have a shot at winning Best Picture (this, Gravity, and American Hustle), I'm really hoping this film can pull off a victory.

4. The Wolf of Wall Street

Goodfellas on quaaludes is a description I've heard about this film.  This drug/sex/alcohol fueled film starring Leonardo DiCaprio is as over-the-top as you can get while still maintaining an R rating.  And that's what I love about it.  Dark humor throughout the whole thing, and worth sitting in a theater seat for 3 hours.  Martin Scorsese's best film since The Departed.

3. Short Term 12

Another film I'm hoping more people will go and see.  Brie Larson might be recognizable to some people from films like The Spectacular Now and 21 Jump Street.  Expect to start recognizing her in a ton of films in the near future, because after this year she should definitely become more of a household name.  This film has a few of the most touching moments of the year.  It's great when a film can make you incredibly sad, and then quickly turn that around and make you smile. 

2. Inside Llewyn Davis

As a huge fan of the Coen Brothers, it's really high praise when I say that this was one of my favorite films by them.  The gloomy colors, and images in the film match the tone perfectly.  Oscar Isaac is not only a talented singer, but also gives a really great performance as Llewyn Davis.  Really funny, sometimes in the saddest way.  

1. Her

My favorite film of 2013, Her.  This film just worked on so many levels for me.  The script could be hilarious, or it could make you want to cry.  It has so many great messages, that I'll refrain from going into detail about again (You can see the more detailed thoughts here.  Or take a look at my friend Reed's review here.)  Joaquin Phoenix gave what I thought was the best performance of 2013.  He plays Theodore with such believability that he seems like a person rather than a movie character.  In a time where this future world could potentially be coming very soon, the importance of this film is heightened.  It let's the audience take a look at their dependance on technology, on their loneliness, and most importantly on their relationships.  In a year filled with great movies, Her is the movie that I will remember the year by.

~Ryan Moncrief