TOP 100 Favorite Films

What's your favorite movie? You can't name one?!...  I can name a 100! First of all, don't judge me on my favorite films judge away! These are the movies I love, and I dare you to be a little open-minded and check them out. Replay value tends to have the biggest influence on whether or not I place a film in my top 100. Can I enjoy watching this film again? Were there real relatable characters exchanging memorable dialogue? Was the story told from a unique and entertaining perceptive? You decide & make your list!

1. Purple Rose of Cairo
2. Gladiator
3. Pulp Fiction
4. Cool Hand Luke
5. Sunset Blvd.
6. Aliens
7. True Romance
8. Old Boy (Korean Version)
9. Brave Heart
10. The Wizard of Oz
11. The Never Ending Story
12. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
13. Adventureland
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
15. The Wedding Singer
16. It's a Wonderful Life
17. Blade Runner
18. Face Off
19. The Dark Knight
20. Moonstruck
21. Pretty Woman
22. Drive
23. Man on Fire
24. Interstellar
25. Scarface
26. The Count of Monte Cristo
27. The Godfather
28. Rosemary's Baby
29. The Accountant 
30. Sin City
31. High Fidelity
32. 10 Things I Hate About You
33. Jaws
34. Benhur
35. La Confidential
36. Clueless
37. The Gentlemen
38. Nocturnal Animals
39. Garden State
40. Rambo II
41. His Girl Friday
42. For Love and Basketball
43. Thelma and Louise
44. 500 Days of Summer
45. Gone with the Wind
46. Little Shop of Horrors
47. Whatever Works
48. Singing In The Rain
49. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
50. Hocus Pocus
51. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2
52. Baby Driver
53. Being John Malkovich
54. The Winter Soldier
55. Toys
56. Dumb and Dumber
57. Chinatown
58. Pet Sematary
59. Young Adult
60. Django
61. The Silence of the Lambs
62. Forrest Gump
63. Matilda
64. Elf
65. Charade
66. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
67. Frequency
68. Bridesmaids
69. Die Hard
70. Donnie Darko
71. In Her Shoes
72. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
73. Rocky
74. Water For Elephants
75. The Dream Team
76. Dolores Claiborne
77. The Shaggy Dog 1959
78. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
79. Thor
80. District 9
81. Apocalypto
82. We’re The Millers
83. Safety Not Guaranteed
84. Dirty Dancing
85. Pirates of The Caribbean
86. Pete’s Dragon
87. My Girl
88. Son In Law
89. Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
90. Coming to America
91. Top Gun: Maverick
92. Casablanca 
93. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
94. Troy
95. Se7en
96. Gone Girl
97. Scrooged
98. Boyhood
99. Death Sentence
100. Home Alone

This list is constantly changing and I plan to continue updating it here. I have another list called "The Cut," which is a list of over 200 films that once had a spot on this top 100, but as I continue to evolve, my list appears to follow suit.

Now, all you need is a bucket of popcorn, twizzlers, raisinets, soft pretzel bites, maybe definitely pizza and somewhere to put you feet, because you have a marathon of movies to tackle!


Anddddddd...... PLAY!

The Nature of Pursuing a Dream

Sarah Bitely is the creator and writer of Pimpkillah comics. She recently published her third issue of Pimpkillah, a new comic book series that focuses on a violent tale of revenge. I ran into Sarah at the LA Zine Fest, and she agreed to sit down with me and answer some of my burning questions about the journey of pursuing her childhood dream.

Kristen: First, let's get everyone up to speed. What is Pimpkillah about?

Sarah: Pimpkillah is about Sloane Stone’s journey to find her sister. The first two issues are just the beginning. I feel like this second issue is the boiling point for Pimpkillah. We’re ready to kick it into gear and get into the the thick of it. The Descent depicts Sloane Stone’s transition from Sudan back to Los Angeles. Uncovering a shocking discovery about her estranged sister, Naomi, propels her deep into the dark world she never wanted a part of. A path she worked hard to avoid. A path of darkness and despair. A path her sister wasn’t as determined to escape.

Kristen: Why this story of revenge? What draws you to revenge tales?

Sarah: Revenge stories have always intrigued me and it’s one of my favorite genres to explore. I’m fascinated by the idea of a somewhat “normal” and functioning human completely snapping over an injustice or wrong done to them. A kindhearted person turned stone cold over a traumatic event. The loss of innocence. And of course I love the idea of vigilante justice and questioning mild prosecution of those who have done horrible crimes.

Kristen: What were some of your childhood influences Were you into comics?
Sarah: As a young girl, I loved Archie comics. I was obsessed with Betty and Veronica, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Batman was another comic I loved to read. When I was about four years old, I remember putting together this little booklet made of colored construction paper, and I made a Batman themed story with my crayons. I’ve always had a passion for telling stories, especially through images, both in comics and film.

Kristen: How have your inspirations changed as an adult?

Sarah: Today, I am much more into darker themes and noir comics, which I never knew existed when I was in high school. Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips’ Criminal series was my first noir comic love, and definitely set the pace for Pimpkillah.

Karl Edward Wagner’s “Tell Me, Dark” is another amazing noir, horror comic that is drawn and written in such a hauntingly beautiful way. Right now I love Hernandez Brothers’ Love and Rockets, I read all their collected works too, like Maggie the Mechanic, Penny Century and Luba.  A lot of the Hernandez artwork is heavily influenced by Archie comics so it seems I’m drawn to similar classic artwork. I love the way Hernandez draws his ladies, of all shapes and sizes. I’m very much inspired by the shape of female figures and I hope to bring some of that voluptuousness to Pimpkillah. But I think more than anything I’m inspired by films. Cinema translates to comics so naturally, and when I am working on something I draw most of my inspirations from movies. I like to think that when I create a comic it’s like I’m storyboarding a movie. Which is definitely in the works for Pimpkillah in the upcoming future._­ Here’s a link to a short film I made called “Baby Blue.” http://www.viddler.com/v/43eff3db

Kristen: What are some of your favorite films?

Sarah: My all time favorite movie is Mean Streets by Martin Scorsese. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. All 70’s Scorsese cinema is the best in my opinion. I love that unfiltered, raw edge you don’t really get in his films anymore. John Cassavetes’ Woman Under the Influence also has that quality that is hard to come by these days. Catherine Breillat’s The Last Mistress is one of my favorite movies from the last decade. Such a passionate story and Asia Argento is outstanding in it. Sloane Stone, Pimpkillah’s heroine is loosely based off her. Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love and Fallen Angels are two of the most beautiful films I’ve seen. Specific films that have influenced me genre-wise for Pimpkillah include Coffy, Foxy Brown, Oldboy, Switchblade Sisters, Kill Bill – okay, I could fill up pages with my favorite movies, so I suppose I’ll stop here.

Kristen: Have your parents always been supportive of your career in film and comics? Sarah: My parents have always been my number one supporters who would do anything to help me achieve my goals.  I think no matter what I would chose to do they would be behind me a hundred percent. I love them so much and wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

Kristen: What are some of the struggles you've encountered in pursuit of your dreams?

Sarah: It usually starts with money. When you’re fresh out of school, thousands of dollars in the hole, and hardly making enough money at your desk job it can be quite trying to get something published and off the ground. My first two comics were mini-comics, and no longer than ten pages so it was relatively cheap to print. My next issue is more than double the length and full size. But you have to expect people not to buy your comic, and you probably won’t make your money back. But the keys are trading your comics with people, and spreading the word about your work. I have yet to make an Indie GoGo account or Kickstarter, but I think I will definitely start one for the third issue.

The next biggest challenge is finding someone as passionate as you are about your project. Finding artists is always difficult and sometimes working with others can be painful as well. I prefer to work with close friends of mine who understand the way I think and envision. Since I’ve been developing, writing, and re-writing Pimpkillah for the past four years it can save a lot of time when you meet someone who truly understands where you are coming from and where you want to go with the project. The last hardest thing is finding the time to work on your projects. Balancing time is imperative. I was working full-time and then I worked on my comics or writing after work, on my lunch break, and on weekends. Currently, I’m on hiatus. I’m taking time to gather all my thoughts for Pimpkillah 3, not titled just yet. Now more than ever we need people’s support to continue printing copies and issues. There are comics and prints available at www.pimpkillah.com Also available in Stores: Meltdown Comics 7522 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. Pop Hop Books and Print 5002 York Blvd. Eagle Rock, CA 

Kristen: What have you learned from completing your first three comics? What are you going to do differently in the next issue?

Sarah: Issue 3 is going to be so different! I’m thinking of coloring it myself, and working with different artists. I digitally inked Pimpkillah: The Descent and have been learning more Photoshop as I go along.  The story is really going to get going in this one because I feel I know what could have been done in the previous issues. I want issue 3 to engage the reader more. I want Sloane’s inner dialogue to have much more of a presence and really get our readers into her subconscious. When I reprint issue 2, I will be adding more of her thoughts and feelings into it. Rosendo Santos, artist for Descent, will also be working on the ending to tie together a few loose ends. So when we run out the first prints, the second print will be a bit different. But you’d have to check out both prints to really observe the added details.

Kristen: As you know, one of the primary themes of my blog, “Cinematic Escape,” is escapism. How do you personally and also your comics relate to escapism?

Sarah: I feel as though my entire life has been centered around escapism and creating my own realm. From playing cowboys and Indians as a child to directing films, I’ve always found other outlets to live my life through and cope with my surroundings. Now, my career path is focused on creating alternate realities through writing, drawing, and making films. I’m entranced by crafting another universe that is so foreign to me and yet still making it relatable to anyone. When I write a story, rather it be a comic or screenplay, I love diving into the depths of my character’s subconscious and discovering what drives them. While directing actors, empathizing with another and connecting with them on an emotional level is what initially sparked my inspiration to make films.

I can put myself into anyone’s shoes and escape through doing so. My hope for Pimpkillah is for people to want to put themselves in Sloane’s shoes and go along on her journey.

Kristen: Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for aspiring comic book writers just getting started? Sarah: Network, go to festivals, and spread the word about your comic! Pimpkillah Press: http://www.laweekly.com/2013-02-14/calendar/revenge-of-the-zines/

Pimpkillah Productions is located in Los Angeles, CA. Call for Artists: Have your work featured in the next Pimpkillah comic! Internships also available. For more information on how you can get involved email pimpkillah.productions@gmail.com

Pimpkillah the series is available for purchase at: www.pimpkillah.com
Available in Stores: Meltdown Comics 7522 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA.
Pop Hop Books and Print 5002 York Blvd Eagle Rock, CA
For exclusive updates and upcoming release dates visit the Pimpkillah facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Pimpkillah?ref=hl

Follow Pimpkillah on twitter: https://twitter.com/SloaneStone
Zine Fest photo credit: Brodie Foster Hubbard http://fairdig.com

I'm NOT a Hipster!?

Yes, I am. And you might be too if you value independent thinking, appreciate art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. 

I was recently called a hipster after playing the song,"Country Lane" by Telekinesis, which I've conveniently placed below for you to listen to as you continue reading. This particular blog entry was inspired by the cruelty of name calling :)

I enjoy  music that features folk roots, melodic string accompaniment, acoustic sonority, electric guitar riffs, and an emotional male lead vocal performance. Admiring the chemistry of sound is probably another characteristic of a hipster, but I'm no longer in denial. 

I shun mainstream societal conventions and rules that apply to relationships, dating, and love. I try my best to ignore the media, advertising, especially movie reviews. Everyone has their own framework of understanding, but I prefer not to be influenced before going through the process myself. People are becoming brainwashed zombies entranced by the power of the media. The media promotes ethnocentric ideas that poison self-expression and originality. Unfortunately, independent thinkers are an endangered species in modern times.

You don't have to look like you just came from a rave to be a hipster.

I don't wear thrift store clothing, old-school sneakers, or thick rimmed glasses. I don't dress like the stereotypical hipster, and I'm definitely not attracted to men dressed in colorful, bright, and often animal print, skinny clothing. I don't frequent coffee shops. My hair style isn't edgy, and I possess more than 2% body fat. 

But I do have a degree from a liberal arts college. I'd like to think I have creative analytical thinking abilities and good taste in music. I'm not a wasteful person, or a collector of material things. I contribute to independent culture. I have an appreciation for indie music and independent film. I do like ironically themed parties and weird food. I love philosophy and brain teasers. As the hipster definition suggests, I have been called bi-polar, but definitely not boring. 

Those who reject the hipster way often also reject social change in general, but won't admit to admiring those who are more sensitive, intelligent, and culturally aware.

Hipsters are also associated with beatniks or the Beat Generation of the 1950's and 60's, who rejected materialism, consumerism, and censorship. The Beat Generation was made up of anti-conformists, and others who liberated themselves from mainstream ideals.

Beatnik, Hipster, call me what you want you bore me!

It’s sort of Strange but…

I sometimes like to watch other people. They don’t know I’m watching. I sit in the dark while they go about their lives, taking risks and finding fulfillment. But I’m not alone. I sit there with other people -complete strangers actually. We all sit tightly together, in the dark. But we never speak a word. In fact, it would be considered rude to do so. We just watch. We watch and we wish. We admire and we dream. We do this for about two hours. But when the lights come on, it’s all over and the worries, fears, and grief that brought us, filter back into our conscience. 

….So why do we escape to the cinema?

It’s very dangerous to take an animal from its natural habitat. A manufactured environment will never fulfill the animal’s essential needs. In fact, an unnatural environment can put an animal in a constant state of hyper stimulation, nervousness or anxiety. Their nervous systems are blown beyond the ability to cope. The animals must do whatever it takes to balance their nerves. They sometimes do what may appear unacceptable or strange. They run around in circles without a purpose.

How is it we fail to recognize and admit that humans are just simple animals… meant to live day to day with the only purpose to survive till the sun goes down each day.

This entire civilization is far beyond what any single mind could dream up.

It’s not a mystery why we do whatever it takes to balance our nerves. We develop habits that help us cope in this constant state of hyper stimulation. Some people submerge in bubble baths, some people put on headphones and close their eyes, some drink a glass of wine, others smoke a blunt or pop a pill rarely prescribe to them.

Some people speed in the rain, sleep past noon, scream their lungs out in the shower, eat a gallon of ice cream, run till they faint, paint a white wall, drink till they can’t remember, but other people…

Other people escape entirely. They sit completely still… not speaking, not blinking, not living. For about two hours in a dark cave without any light, they sit there and admire the paintings before their eyes… submerging into complete and utter satisfaction, a sense of... fulfillment.

The Difference Between The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

   The Action-Thriller film genre is best known for its exciting action packed plot and intense visual appeal. But spending a little more time on developing their heroes has proven to not only boost box office sales, but also provide new market space for sequels, prequels, and even figurines. Filmmakers are running out of new ways to save their damsels in distress and keep their car chases fresh. Action seeking fans are now going to the theater expecting more than the same stunts they’ve seen executed from different angles; now they want complex characters and simulating storylines. Whether moviegoers are realizing it or not, they’re flocking to character driven action films.

   The Coen Brothers have been keeping audiences entertained for years with their mix of action, thrill, and complex characters. Marge Gunderson (if her name isn’t enough of a description) is the unforgettable heroine in the 1996 thriller Fargo. She’s the pregnant sheriff in town, but make no mistake, she means business. Her intelligent and polite police work along with that Minnesota accent, makes her a likeable heroine few audiences can forget. And the Coen Brother’s antagonist from No Country For Old Men haunts your nightmares with his retractable steel bolt airgun reminding you to never steal money from him—the all-knowing, merciless Anton Chigurh. Characters like Marge and Chigurh are becoming the difference between a good action film and a great action film.

   Some of the best action films are defined by their protagonists such as Jason Bourne, John Rambo, Peter Parker and John McClane. These films can simply be referred to by their main characters because lets just face it, they are what make these movies great. Big explosions and bloody deaths just aren’t enough these days and more is being asked from writers of this formulaic genre. Now they have to edit out a few story twists and make room for compelling characters with more than a double barrel shotgun.

   Action films lack in dialog and usually focus more on telling story through physical action and that part is also changing more and more as we see more characters developing onscreen. Ridley Scott’s 1991 Thelma & Louise is a thriller adventure film that takes a serious interest in these two women’s lives and their characters grow and develop along with all the action. The action in this film appears to serve a greater purpose than just blowing up something or killing someone who gets in the way unlike many other films in its genre such as the 2008 Death Race which does just that. Death Race’s Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is unbelievably underdeveloped and the film suffers as a result. Too many characters die senseless deaths and explosions are pointless and have no effect on the lives of the characters. Visual appeal? Maybe, but nothing more. Death Race struggled to make its expected profit from box office sales and this should not come as a surprise to those who witnessed its absurdity.

   Christopher Nolan’s 2008 The Dark Knight has numerous complex characters that develop onscreen and without a doubt contribute to the film overall success. Heath Ledger portrays the best Joker to ever hit the screen. He adds the missing link that other jokers—including Jack Nicholson—couldn’t seem to grasp. He’s cruel and cold, heartless and thrillingly psychotic. His character alone makes the film a successful action thriller. In comparison, Halle Berry’s Patience Phillips in the 2004 Catwoman is an example of a poorly developed character that is to blame for the film’s failure. The filmmaker’s first mistake was choosing an idolized sex symbol like Halle Berry to play an already over sexed role like Catwoman. The action and killing in the film appears humorous rather than thrilling and no one can take Halle Berry’s performance for anything more than soft-core porn. Characters can easily make or break a film even in the action thriller genre.

   It’s no debate fans of action films aren’t going to the theater expecting life changing stories or heart felt dramas, but what films do they call great action thrillers? Is it films like Dragonball Evolution, The Mummy Returns and Hitman or Fight Club, Rocky, and Lethal Weapon? Many of the most popular and favorite action thrillers have an undeniable similarity in common. That similarity rests in its characters and their onscreen development.

   Psychotic Dr. Hannibal Lecter and relentless FBI agent Clarice Starling are among the many complexed characters in the 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs. This thriller is packed with jaw dropping action, but unlike most action films, it makes room for dialog and a slice of drama. Clarice doesn’t blow up anyone’s car or go on a random shooting rampage, but she does hunt down the scariest serial killer to ever graze the screen. Compared to the action crime thriller Bangkok Dangerous, …well there is no comparison other than the genre title. Bangkok Dangerous doesn’t have one intriguing character or memorable plot moment. The film is comprised of scenes where Nicolas Cage chases people, makes a mess, shoots them and blows stuff up—but nobody cares. The characters are so severely underdeveloped and simple that the viewer just doesn’t care enough about them for the ending of their lives to feel dramatic or be the least bit entertaining.

    Not all filmmakers are going to change their clichéd formula for action films into character driven action thrillers like The Matrix, Kill Bill, and Iron Man. But highly developed characters appear to be what’s attracting audiences and selling the tickets. Writers of the action thriller genre should make room in their scripts for an unethical Dirty Harry or an impervious Terminator; or otherwise prepare to suffer an excruciating death in sales.

GOMORRA

   Gomorra is an Italian mob drama that takes an inside look at five Italian civilians whose lives are influenced by the all-powerful Comorra mafia. You’re either with the Comorra or you’re their enemy, and we get a glimpse of both sides and what their daily lives consist of. Gomorra is an eye-opening film that exposes the unfortunate truths hiding in America’s closet.

    One of the plot lines tells the story of Pasquale (Salvatore Cantalupo) who is a tailor working at a factory controlled by the Comorra. When the mafia finds out Pasquale has taken a night job teaching Chinese competitors how to sew, they attempt an attack on his life and he is forced to flee. Pasquale’s talents go to waste, as he becomes a truck driver in order to escape death. By the end of the film, many intriguing themes have surfaced, but none as so interesting as the one that is a startling wake up call for Americans.

    This controversial theme that has put the life of director Matteo Garrone in danger surfaces as waste manager Franco (Toni Servillo) calls to a colleague who decides the unethical business going on isn’t for him. Franco yells to him as he’s walking away, “Don’t think you’re any better than me.” He implies that just because Americans aren’t the ones calling the shots doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying the benefits that result from the distress and suffering of others. 

    These horrible crimes being conducted in Italy are all at the hand of the Comorra mafia, who are ironically enough invested in the rebuilding of the Twin Towers here in America. They control the factories that make beautiful dresses for our movie stars to wear. They control the outsourcing firms that make our food, our most cherished possessions, our cars, and everything we use on a daily basis without considering whose blood was shed for our happiness. 

    Translating from one language to another doesn’t come without its misfortunes. At times the English subtitles were unfortunately funnier than they were meant to be because definitions differ in every language and finding a word with identical meaning can be difficult. The five plot lines became confusing to follow as the non-Italian speaking American was forced to read subtitles and differentiate between stories all at the same time.

    Despite its technical difficulties, the documentary type style of this film makes the stories and acting appear indisputably real and fascinating. A film like this one could start a reformation—If not a war.