Writer’s Strike: Movies About or Featuring Writers As Characters
Posted on November 6, 2007
Filed Under General Movie Lists | 3 Comments
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On Monday, the people who write our favorite comedies, dramas, movies and late night shows went on strike. If this strike lasts for any significant period of time, we will eventually be watching re-runs. In fact, it’s already affecting late-night television. The strike could also shorten the final season of one of my favorite shows - Scrubs. Here’s hoping it ends soon.
With the current state of affairs in Hollywood, what would be more relevant than a list of movies about writers and/or that feature writers as characters? Here are ten eleven such movies (in no particular order) with a (very) short synopsis of each:
The Shining (1980)
Writer goes crazy.
Capote (2005)
Writer is obsessed.
Permanent Midnight (1998)
Writer likes drugs - a lot.
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Writer can’t figure out how to end her novel.
Misery (1990)
Writer is saved and then kidnapped by an obsessed fan.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Writer takes a trip with his lawyer.
Stand By Me (1986)
Writer remembers that crazy summer when he and his friends found a dead body.
Almost Famous (2000)
Wannabe writer goes on tour.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Writer interviews a vampire.
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Writer with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love.
The Player (1992)
Writer threatens a producer.
Tags: almost famous, as good as it gets, ben stiller, brad pitt, cameron crowe, capote, cuba gooding, emma thompson, fear and loathing in las vegas, helen hunt, hunter s. thompson, interview with a vampire, jack nicholson, james caan, jerry stahl, johnny depp, jr., kirstin dunst, misery, permanent midnight, philip seymour hoffman, rob reiner, robert altman, scrubs, stand by me, stanley kubrick, stephen king, stranger than fiction, the player, the shining, tim robbins, tom cruise, will farrell, writer039s strike
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Top 15 Movies To Watch On Halloween - Part III
Posted on October 30, 2007
Filed Under Holiday Movie Lists | Leave a Comment
Here it is. The post you’ve all been waiting for (I hope). You’ve seen Parts I and II (numbers 15 through 6) of my Top 15 Movies to Watch on Halloween. Here is the conclusion - numbers 5 through 1.
Each of these final flicks was made in the 70’s or early 80’s. Obviously they were doing something right back then, like making original movies instead of remakes.
5. The Shining (1980)
A family is voluntarily stranded in a huge hotel in the mountains. Oh yeah, it’s also haunted and the father slowly goes insane.
What happens? If you don’t know you should really see this flick. Herrrrreeeee’s Johnny!
4. The Exorcist (1973)
Another classic and just a freaky, scary and gross movie. This flick stands the test of time.
3. The Evil Dead (1981)
Believe it or not, the director of the Spider-Man movies, Sam Raimi, is responsible for The Evil Dead (the movie, not evil dead . . . whatever). This flick just happens to be one of the best and most notorious horror films of all time. Another freaky, freaky movie.
2. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
I didn’t think the remake of this flick was that bad, it was just a different type of movie, one with a slick production and lots of gore.
Unlike the remake, the original is a gritty, nasty, grainy flick that has the feel of a documentary. Notwithstanding the title of this movie (which includes the words “Chain Saw” and “Massacre”) there is very little gore. Instead you have real scares, freaky characters (there’s that word again) and some incredibly creepy sets.
A word of warning: when you get done watching it, you may feel the need to take a shower (unless of course you endured a double feature of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Psycho).
1. Halloween (1978)
A little obvious? Maybe, but in my humble opinion, John Carpenter’s Halloween is the best horror movie of its kind and the best flick to watch on, well, Halloween.
Like the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there is a noticeable lack of gore in Halloween. However, it isn’t needed. Halloween is scary as is. Besides, is gore scary anyway?
In the hands of a master, ordinary homes in a typical neighborhood can be scary as hell, especially when an escaped mental patient returns home to finish a job he started fifteen years earlier. John Carpenter used all of the tools at his disposal to create an eerie atmosphere on a fall day and night in a typical Midwestern town, including a perfect soundtrack and incredible lighting and camera angles.
I could go on and on, but I won’t. This flick speaks for itself.
If you think I omitted a movie that deserves to be in this list, or disagree with my rankings, please feel free to yell (or scream) at me. Happy Halloween!
Tags: halloween, horror, john carpenter, list, movies, psycho, remake, Sam Raimi, the evil dead, the exorcist, the shining, the texas chain saw massacre, top 15, top 15 movies to watch on halloween
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Here It Is . . .
Posted on October 2, 2007
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As you know, last Tuesday I wrote about a particular movie that I can’t believe I have never seen. There are other such films, but this one stands out among the rest because everyone I know who has seen it loves it and is shocked that I haven’t seen it.
In that same post, I asked you to guess the name of this flick and even gave you a hint: The “novella” on which the movie is based was written by an author who is best known for stories of a different genre - tales of the macabre.
Well, the response was really quite . . . underwhelming. That’s ok. I know the prize wasn’t very exciting.
I promised the answer today (or earlier if someone guessed correctly), so the moment has arrived.
I have never seen it. I want to see it. Therefore, I don’t know why I have never seen it. In all honesty, when it was released it just didn’t look like my cup of tea. However, I have no good excuse now other than possibly lack of time and a lot of other, more recent movies on my “to see” list. I am going to make this movie a priority and will see it soon. I will let you know when I do.
Oh, and the hint? Well, the movie is based on the novella, “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” which was written by none other than Stephen King. This novella is contained in Different Seasons
So there you have it. Please feel free to share the one movie that has escaped you. Also, don’t forget to check back tomorrow for No. 95 on my list of Top 100 Movies.
Tags: apt pupil, carrie, cujo, different seasons, rita hayworth and the shawshank redemption, stand by me, stephen king, the body, the shawshank redemption, the shining
