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Showing posts with label Bill Murray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Murray. Show all posts

The Apocalypse Film Festival

Well, the big day is coming up soon (December 21st it seems) - it's the end of the world, again. We figured there may be some people out there who don't won't to celebrate with a big noisy Apocalypse Party - so we've got an alternative way to spend your last hours on Earth. How about a film festival? We've decided to compile several lists that will allow you build your own Apocalypse Film Festival.

Ouch!
The lists are based on 4 categories:
  1. The Top 10 True Apocalyptic Films
  2. The Top 10 Post-Apocalyptic
  3. The Top 10 Dystopian Films (e.g. semi-apocalyptic)
  4. The Top 10 Zombie Apocalypse Movies
  5. The Top 10 Silliest Apocalypse-Related Films
There's something for everyone here...


We never realized how cute the 4 horses of the Apocalypse were, awww...



The Top 10 True Apocalyptic Films
To qualify as a true apocalyptic film either the entire planet gets wiped out or at the very least, the entire human race - no survivors, at least on Earth. 
  • Number 2 - AI, Artificial Intelligence: even though everyone dies at the end of the movie it still counts and it is a joy to watch. 
  • Number 3 - The Core: This movie tells the story of what's going to happen if the Gas companies keep Fracking in our backyards. Ok - so the Earth doesn't get destroyed and the human race survives - we do think it's pretty cool though that hotshot former Shuttle pilots can ride a giant metal suppository into the Earth's core at 400 mph.  
  • Number 4 - When Worlds Collide: A handful of people do escape in their giant Buck Rogers rocket, but the world does end. (BTW - it looks as though this is being remade). 
  • Number 5 - Last Night: A more intimate view of the end. 
  • Number 6 - Melancholia: This is the chick flick version of the Apocalypse, some might find a bit slow...
  • Number 7 - On the Beach: The folks down under wait for the end. This is a classic film and probably inspired the follow on movie and TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
  • Number 8 - Titan AE: So it's a cartoon; it's got Matt Damon. It's surprisingly good although it focused more survivors who got off of Earth before the end. 
  • Number 10 - Carriers: The ultimate plague takes the last survivors one by one. 

All aboard for the Phallic Express !
The Top 10 Post-Apocalyptic Films
This category allows for survivors - forms of the destroyer may include; plagues, meteors, nuclear war, global warming and aliens. Also, the action needs to take place only after the crap had hit the fan.
  1. Planet of the Apes: Charleton Heston had at one time corned the market on all things apocalyptic. The recent version with the CG apes sucked, and let's try to forget that thing Mark Wahlberg did around 2000. 
  2. Logan's Run: Before there was Botox, there was the "Laser Lift." 
  3. A Boy and His Dog: Before Miami Vice, Crocket was a in big demand with chicks after WIII. 
  4. The Road: This is a really depressing movie, but it was pretty good.
  5. Escape from New York - Taking the concept of The Warriors and placing it aftersome type of apocalypse (it's not too clear). 
  6. Terminator Salvation - Finally we get a chance to see what it's like after Judgement Day - a bit of let down though.
  7. The Day After Tomorrow - This is happening right now, we're not kidding.
  8. The War of the Worlds - Both versions were pretty good; the story doesn't get old.
  9. I am Legend & Omega Man - Omega Man was better but we still like Will Smith even when he battles animated zombies instead of real ones
  10. Mad Max - This was before we know Mel was crazy and the Beaver
We were a bad influence; Apes killed Apes only after we showed up !

The Top 10 Dystopian Films (e.g. semi-apocalyptic)

Dystopian movies don't generally include apocalyptic events; yet things are so bad they might as well. The following movies represent the best in dysfunctional visions of the future:
  1. Soylent Green: This the reason we can never be Vegetarians. Did you see that pathetic excuse for a steak they get in a few years - better eat up now before all we're left with is people wafers. 
  2. 1984: Double plus good, but double depressing.
  3. Brazil: Monty Python meets 1984.
  4. 12 Monkeys: Brad Pitt was crazy before he married Angelina, this movie proves it.
  5. Gattica: Anyone who doesn't like getting blood tests should avoid this movie.
  6. Clockwork Orange: You'll never look at milk the same way again.
  7. Looper - Bruce had lot's of experience with the time paradox issues after starring in 12 Monkeys.
  8. Total Recall: We are wondering if Arnold can remember how many chicks he cheated on. BTW - as for the 2012 version of the show, forget it...
  9. Rollerball: James Caan's best movie ever, even better than his role in the Godfather. Wish they hadn't burned down those trees though.
  10. Blade Runner: Too cool not to be on this list somewhere.

The Simpsons appreciate the importance of a balanced diet
The Top 10 Silliest Apocalypse-Related Films
This category is pretty much self-explanatory.
  1. Knowing - One of the silliest movies ever made with one of Nick Cage's worst Hairdos. All the aliens look like Sting. 
  2. Water World - They managed to make global warming silly, how do you do that? Kevin Costner filmed this entirely in his own Olympic-sized swimming pool. Costner;s attempt some years later with post apocalyptic mail delivery was almost as silly but at least they got out oft he pool.
  3. The Book of Eli - Denzel has his own reading club and don't you dare borrow books without returning them.
  4. Escape from LA - This was a really pathetic attempt to extend the Escape from New York franchise. Besides, L.A. was really like that during the 1990's.  
  5. Steel Dawn - They couldn't afford a wardrobe so Patrick Swayze brought his pajamas.
  6. Barb Wire - If only Pamela Anderson had stuck to Internet sex videos she might still have a career.
  7. 4:44 The last Day on Earth - So the way we're all going to spend the last moments on Earth is being bored to death and playing with electronics.
  8. Perfect Sense - It wasn't the actors who lost their senses in this dull pic - the writers, producers and director might as well have been deaf, dumb and blind.
  9. 2012 - This was like Transformers without, uhh, Transformers. One giant special effect with a goofball plot. Shame on you John Cusak...
  10. Reign of Fire - This is the least likely Apocalyptic scenario of all time; the Dragon Holocaust. 
Dragons have really bad breath

The Top 10 Zombie Apocalypse Movies
Zombies deserve their own category and yes we included Walking Dead even though it's a TV show. 
  1. Dawn of the Dead (2004) - Really fast and hungry zombies who love malls.
  2. Zombieland - Zombies meet the Social Network - great cameo by Bill Murray. 
  3. 28 Days Later - The Zombie virus is really easy to catch
  4. 28 Weeks Later - Ditto
  5. Night of the Living Dead - It all started here (well, at least the modern Zombie movement).
  6. Re-animator - Love this movie.
  7. Shaun of the Dead - Best Zombie Apocalypse comedy.
  8. Resident Evil - This series of films confuses us but we tolerate it because we like Milla.
  9. The Walking Dead - Please take that goofy hat off of the kid already.
  10. Quarantine - Zombies meets extreme paranoia, good combo. 
Dinnertime at the Zombie Buffet
And for your listening pleasure...


Enjoy the End, and remember if it doesn't happen on the 21st, it will eventually. 


Copyright 2012 - Raving Reviews - All Rights Reserved

Scrooged - Bill Murray's Christmas Carol

It's Christmas Eve, a good time to follow or start traditions. Tonight we're going to start a tradition of reviewing some form of a "Christmas Carol" every Christmas Eve (that can include TV versions, and offshoots like "It's a Wonderful Life") at least until we run out of variations to review.

This year we're going to start with our favorite version of Charles Dicken's classic tale - Scrooged. It's as close as we can get to the Goldman Sachs & Wall Street version that should be made - although we were thinking Senator Coburn (the sole member of the Let's kill healthcare for 9/11 first responders caucus) would make a great Scrooge as well.

Bill Murray was born for this role - it was in our humble opinion his best performance ever. Although Mr. Murry has gotten acclaim in a variety of roles over the past decade - none of those carried with them the enthusiasm and panache that characterized his classics like Scrooged and Groundhog Day.

Where were you in 1988? Some of us remember it well being the old timers that we are (not all of our reviewers are that aged of course). Seeing this film in the theater was a treat - we really didn't know what to expect and were very pleasantly surprised. Some of us have been watching this nearly every Christmas since. Why? well - we'd already seen the 1840's version of a Christmas Carol about 25 times (in 5 different versions) and this film had an astonishing ensemble cast, a hilarious yet touching script and a dynamic lead in Bill Murray - it's the tale adapted to our age. And twenty some years later things haven't changed that much - the satire on modern society is still sharp and more relevant than old Ebeneezer at the London exchange ever could be. The Me decade has of course morphed into the Me-first Century and we are trying our best to recreate the poverty and despair of Dicken's time - will enough good hearted people defeat the evil forces of Wall Street ? who knows...



The official trailer for Scrooged, circa 1988 - which now officially belongs in the realm of the ghost of Christmas Past

The story is the same - at its basic level - lost opportunities, lost love, lost values, and a life almost wasted - yet ready to be reprieved after a Christmas Eve Transformation. How did it turn out? Well, in this film the Scrooge character (Murray) is given his second chance before he got too old and he took it. We like to think that everyone will be given that type of chance when or if they need it and that everyone will have a chance to watch this movie as part of their holidays celebration and tradition.

Remember, the ghosts are only scary if you're not willing to listen to what they have to say - Merry Christmas !




Well, this wasn't part of the movie - but we wanted to remember the Late Jim Varney in the Christmas Carol inspired ad...


Copyright 2010, Raving Reviews