The Beers, Blu-Rays, Books, Films, Gadgetry, & Tunes Of 2013

BEERS:
Started a new hobby in 2013....

Years ago, my family took a vacation to the east coast. All my sixteen year old self wanted to eat while vacationing was fast food. It was on that vacation, my Stepfather introduced me to the concept of taking in local cuisine. "You can get Taco Bell anywhere. You can't eat at the Philadelphia Fish Market in Columbus" he says. Years later, he opened up the same concept but with beers to me. Don't settle for the shit you can get at the gas station, go to grocery store and find something you can't get at the gas station. It first started with Rogue's Dead Guy Ale, and spiraled from there. Now, I am on the hunt for a good quality beer.

Here's the beers I enjoyed the most in 2013:
1. Rogue's Dead Guy Ale
2.Wild Blue Lager
3. Hobgoblin
4. Young's Double Chocolate Stout

I also got pretty festive around the fall this year with beers as well. Here are two of my fall favorites:
1. Rogue's Pumpkin Patch Ale
2. O'Fallon's Pumpkin Ale.

Blu Ray's:
13 years ago, I welcomed with open arms the divine entity known as the Digital Versatile Disc. My Dad was the first in my family to get one. A few years later, I got one for myself.. Finally, a format that caters to film nerds ! While I was embracing this, most of my peers where like "Fuck you and you're CD that plays movies. VHS is here to stay ! My children and I will be watching Austin Powers 20 years from now on video.". A few years later, everyone jumped on the DVD bandwagon (I mean they had no choice right ?).

I also couldn't persuade people to watch movies in Widescreen. "You're stupid if you enjoy watching a movie with those black bars on the top and bottom of you're screen" people told me.  Funny how that one turned out....

Flash forward to 2006, and the introduction of the Blu Ray format. I found myself on the other side of the fence. "Fuck Blu-Ray ! The ivory castle for which DVD is built upon will stand tall for generations !". I just didn't want to accept the fact that I probably had to re-buy my collection. However, I did make the HD jump 2 years ago. Since then, I am embracing and loving high definition. Re-buying my collection does suck. However, re-buying & watching a brand new transfer has breathed new life into the films I love. I am simply re-discovering my favorite films through this format.

I am, little by little upgrade some of my favorites to Blu-Ray, here's my favorite purchases of 2013:
1. Heavy Metal
2. Jaws
3. The Edgar Wright Three Flavors Trilogy (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, And The World's End)
4.  The Goonies/Gremlins/Gremlins 2: The New Batch
5. Anchorman, The Rich Mahogany Edition Fan Bundle

and last, but certainly least: The Tarantino Collection. Such a wonderful representation of his work. Every Tarantino masterpiece (sans "Django" which was release way after) is in this set. Which is surprising considering most box sets centering around films from a director usually have a few not included due to licensing or studio politics. Not with this set. I think every director whose worth a fuck should have a set like this.

Want a bit of irony ? The worst Blu-Ray release I bought this year was The Lords Of Salem. The transfer is as amazing as I remember seeing it in the theater. My complaint is there are no special features ! Rob always gives us more bang for our buck when it comes to buying one of his movies. He usually has includes a lengthy "making of" documentary, a deleted scenes reel, music video, isolated music score, and a trailer. This is a pretty bare bones release. My only theory is that the studio didn't want to pour money into the home video release considering the film flopped. Hopefully this film will develop enough of a cult following to warrant a special edition release. If that happens, I will gladly buy another copy.

Books:
Let's get literal for just a minute......

One of the resolutions I made this year was to read more. I am happy to say that I actually made good on that ! Been a worthwhile endeavor to say the least. I plan to read more than just autobiographies & horror novels next year.

Rather that rate them, here's what I read this year:
1. "Christine" By Stephen King
2. "Rotten" By John Lydon
3. "Official Truth" By Rex Brown
4. "Foxy" By Pam Grier
5. "The Girl Next Door" By Jack Ketchum
6. "Red Dragon" By Thomas Harris
7. "I Am Ozzy"By Ozzy Osbourne
8. "Firece" By Kelly Osbourne
9. "I Am Legend" By Richard Matheson (RIP)

Films:
Don't really go to the theater that much anymore. I am not really interested in what comes out anymore. However, from time to time I do make exceptions. Here are my exceptions:

1. Lords Of Salem
2. The World's End
3. Through The Never
4. The Wolf Of Wall Street
5. Anchorman 2
6. Star Trek Into Darkness
7. American Hustle
8. This Is The End


Films that where released last year that I seen this year and overly enjoyed: Argo & Django Unchained. 

Film wise, there was one film that did disappoint me. A Good Day To Die Hard wasn't all that great. Don't get me wrong, it was great to see Willis play John McClane again. However, it could have been way better. If it couldn't be better, then why didn't you let Live Free Or Die Hard as the last film of the series ? That was a great way to end the McClane saga. This last entry looked like it was done in 2 weeks.

Last, but not least the documentaries I watched this year:
1. Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
2. Sound City
3. Robert Williams, Mr Bitchin'
4. Mission To Lars
5. Everyman's Journey

The "what the fuck?" award goes to Room 237. As a fan of Kubrick, it was interesting but at the same time I have to ask: who comes up with this shit ? Personally, I don't think Stanley Kubrick took the time to put "hidden meanings" in his films so that they are discovered and explained in a documentary years after his death. Kubrick's was a genius and a master showmen, not a lunatic. But I guess if you're a conspiracy theorist who lives in their mom's basement, I guess you think the exact opposite.

Gadgetry:
Discovered the joy of streaming music this year. I am in love with my Google Music subscription ! Ten bucks a month and I have a endless amount of music at my fingertips. Let's me enjoy old favorites, discover new music, and let's me listen to new stuff. Omits my blind buys entirely. I highly recommend anyone who loves music such as I to get a streaming  service.

Also, I've played around with Hulu Plus. Better selection than Netflix. Just saying.....Not ruling out Netflix because they do have "Comic Book Men".

Tunes:
Rather than do the whole "top 10" and "honorable mentions" bit, I decided to lump it into one list. I mean if I liked it as much as my top ten, why separate them ?

"13" by Black Sabbath
"Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" By Rob Zombie
"Clockwork Angels Tour" By Rush
 "Flashback " & "Girls Night" EP's By The Alcohollys
"Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hassar In Marrying The Gunner's Daughter" By Adam Ant
"Tears On Tape" By H.I.M.
"Anthems EP" By Anthrax
"The Winery Dogs" By The Winery Dogs
"Walk Through Exits Only" By Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals
"Year Zero" By Ghost BC
"Winter Kills" By Devildriver
"Through The Never Soundtrack" By Metallica
"Unnatural Selection" By Havok
 "Serpents Unleashed" By Skeletonwitch
"Worse Than Dead" By Iron Reagan
"Revolution Rise" By Kill Devil Hill
"Hail To The King" By Avenged Sevenfold.
"Queensryche" By Queensryche

I also went to some bad-ass shows this year. Seen Cheap Trick, Ghost BC, Iron Reagan, and Adam Ant for the first time this year ! I also went to the best concert I've ever been to this year:

Super huge fan of all 3 bands on this bill. The fact they where coming close to me on a off date from the dreadful touring festival they where was a blessing. The answer was clear: I had to go ! Aside from being there, I had to make it memorable.

I vowed to myself that if Zombie came back and offered a meet & greet package I was going to get one. I made good on the promise. It's definitely an awesome feeling to be able to cross something off you're bucket list. My advice to everyone: if the right opportunity is given, go meet your heroes. Don't ever shy away from doing it. Probably one of the best days of my life.

Well, that's it for this year. I hope you've enjoyed reading this. I've enjoyed writing this. For The Beers, Blu-Rays, Films, Gadgetry, & Tunes Blog, until next year !

Finally, A Metallica Movie !

Metallica will always have a special place in my heart. Why ? They were the first band I ever listened to that made me feel cool. Growing up being the unpopular kid, being cool was something I wanted to be. Being cool on my own terms, not cool by everyone's standards. Somehow their music, can't explain why, just made me feel cool. I mean Metallica is cool. Even though they have skewed away from their thrash metal roots a bit, they are still cool. Hell, they managed to make Lou Reed cool for one album. Don't underestimate Metallica's coolness factor.

Let's make something crystal clear before I go on with the review, "Some Kind Of Monster" is not a Metallica movie. Even after a decade, I still don't know what it is. It looks like someone wanted to cash in on a failed attempt on a television documentary. While I'll admit it was well shot and showed a more softer side of the band, it's still not a Metallica movie.

"Through The Never" is a Metallica Movie.

I love concert films, bottom line. It's a lost art. Nobody worth a fuck does them anymore. Let's get something straight, the Katy Perry, One Direction, And Justin Bieber films are not concert films. "Elvis In Concert", "The Song Remains The Same", and "Let There Be Rock" are concert films. A concert film, simply captures the intensity of a live show on film. Some have failed, some have succeeded. Metallica in this case have overly succeeded. From the moment Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy Of Gold" plays, the same goosebumps I had back in '08 when I seen them came back. That feeling set the bar high for this film.

Since this is a concert film, I figure I should share the setlist:
The Ecstasy of Gold,
Creeping Death, 
For Whom the Bell Tolls 
Fuel,
Ride the Lightning, 
One, 
The Memory Remains 
Wherever I May Roam
Cyanide,
 ...And Justice for All,
 Master of Puppets
Battery, 
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
Hit the Lights 
Orion

Pretty good right ? Metallica has always been known come up with great setlists. They rotate every night. I love when a band does that. That shows, they are willing to go the extra mile to ensure every show is special. At the end of end, you've got to give them props for that. There are only a few bands that will do that. 

Aside from typical, obvious cinematic scenes during the concert itself; it's mainly a Metallica show. The stage is a bit different. It's still in the round but it's a huge LCD screen. My favorite (without spoiling) was when Doris made her appearance. Ain't seen her since the Justice days. Lastly, another favorite stage effect; when the "Master Of Puppets" crosses came out from the stage. It was pretty eerie and cool to see this in 3D.

The actual movie portion involves a roadie. The roadie has to get to a truck that's run out of gas. With gas can in hand, he makes his way through the city to get this truck back on the road. He also has to retrieve a "important item" for Metallica. And as your typical journey fare goes, chaos ensues during his mission.

You couldn't have picked a better band to do a 3D movie. I mean it's Metallica ! These guys are known for putting on one of the best shows on earth. If you've seen them, you know what it's all about. If you haven't seen them, then obviously you don't get it. Even after 30 years, their shows are still intense. To capture on film, is a major achievement. The problem with concert films sometimes is that the intensity of the show gets lost. That problem is not relevant here.

For a 3D film, the cinematography is outstanding. Some of those shots where outstanding. I don't see have of this stuff in normal movies. That's sad......but true.

When it's all said and done, this is the film "Pink Floyd The Wall" should have been.

After seeing this film, I can't wait to see what Metallica has for us in the future. They recently started a record label "Blackened Recordings", which allowed them to acquire all of the right of their albums. Hoping to see some remastered reissues in the future. That, and they are suppose to have a new album come out either next year or the year after. If there's one thing for sure, when it comes to Metallica, it'll be an event not to be missed. My faith in the almighty 'tallica has been restored because of this film.

Five Albums That Changed My Life....

I always get a kick out of reading these. I figured I should take a break from doing a movie related blog and do one. Even though I have a plethora of albums that have made a profound impact on my life, I had to narrow it down to five. On this five (this may or may not be a hint for future installments), I tried to pick 5 that I don't see on other lists. Without further ado, here's five albums that changed my life....

1. "Painkiller" by Judas Priest: I was maybe 4 or 5 years old. My mother and I, came back from running errands. I remember my dad sitting on the front porch and he had the living room windows open. As soon as Mom and I were making our way to the door, Dad said "Hey, check this out". He picked up the remote of his brand new Sony stereo and pressed play. All of sudden, I hear this killer double bass drum intro followed by this screeching/aggressive 2 guitar assault. Even before Halford kicks in, I just remember being blown away. This wasn't like the Kiss or Def Leppard stuff that I was use to hearing. This was more aggressive. From then on, I wanted more.

Hearing this album, laid down the foundation for my love of metal that would continue throughout my life. I owe it all to my father. Thanks Dad !

2. "Ride The Lighthing" by Metallica:  I knew nothing about them prior to 1991. The Metallica I knew had short hair and they made that one album with the black cover. A trip to K-Mart back in '97 would change all that....

You know you've got a cool grandma when she doesn't examine the CD she's buying for you. She bought me, my first copy of "Ride The Lighting". I remember going back to her house, popping this cd in her cheap Emerson boombox (wearing headphones), and "Fight Fire With Fire" started. Was slightly put off by the acoustic intro at first. Then I finally come to the realization that acoustic intro was simply the "calm before the storm". This storm lasted 47 minutes and was a brutal attack on my ears. At this point, this was the heaviest thing I had ever heard. Tracks like "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Creeping Death", and my personal favorite "Ride The Lighting".

Definitely cemented my everlasting love for pre-Black Album Metallica.

3. "Exit Stage Left" By Rush: I discovered Rush my freshman year of High School. I seen the video for "Subdivisions" on VH-1. Seeing the video and song mirroring my life at the time, I instantly became a fan. Having a band I could relate to was something I was looking for. You didn't hear Zeppelin or Floyd singing about the pitfalls of being a teenager.

The summer before my Sophomore year, I went to Michigan with my grandfather. My mom and Stepfather gave me a shit ton of money for the trip. They insisted on my grandfather not spend too much on me. Rather than use it for souvenirs, I bought CD's and other random oddities with that money. While in Ann Arbor, I stopped into a Borders. It was a toss up between this and "Signals". Long story short, this won because it was a live album and the track list was awesome. To have live versions of "La Villa Strangiato", "Xanadu", "Red Barchetta", and "YYZ" (featuring Neil's solo) all on one CD was pretty epic. I had to own this.

At first listen, I came to the realization that Rush was a live band. Every song on this album either sound identical or better than the studio version. Not only that, but it was three guys doing the work of 5 or 6 ! This album, is why is my favorite band of all time.

4. "Roxy & Elsewhere" By Frank Zappa: Being a fan of Genesis, I was familiar of how Chester Thompson became the touring drummer. It was Phil's appreciation of this album that landed Chester the gig. This is where my fascination for Frank Zappa started. Up until this point, I knew very little about him or his music.

This album is just insane. The arrangements, the band, Frank's guitar playing, and how this doesn't sound like it was recorded in a club. Completely blew me away. You know, this isn't stuff you hear on your classic rock station. I really don't know what else to say about "Roxy & Elsewhere". The record really speaks for itself.


5. "Crack The Skye" By Mastodon:  2009 was not a good year for me. I was at a difficult point in my life. This album was kind of the soundtrack of that year.

I knew very little about Mastodon prior to this album. They were getting a lot of press because of this album, that's how I discovered them. During the interviews, bands like Rush, Genesis, Yes, and even Frank Zappa were getting mentioned. I love all of those bands, I need to check these guys out. Aside from the musicianship, I was amazed on how this record sounded like a 70's prog album. After this album, I not only became the hugest Mastodon fan but I immediately bought the rest of their catalog.

Even though, they get put on some of the biggest tours; they are still one of the most underrated bands around. And that's why I love this band. Except for it's harden fan base, no one understands their true genius.

Well, that's that. I encourage any musician or anyone that appreciates music heavily to do one of these.

Revisiting Rob Zombie's "Halloween"

For anyone that knows me personally, I frown over and bitch about remakes. Especially horror remakes. In honor of the highest grossing labor day weekend movie, here's a short retrospect of a remake I did enjoy.

Let's go get in the way back machine about 6 years..........

I remember Labor Day weekend of 2007 very well. It was the first time I received holiday pay from work. Went to see Rush at Germain Amphitheater (it was one of the last shows at the venue). Got my first upgrade from Sprint. Oh, and Rob Zombie's "Halloween" was released in theaters.

Prior to the remake, I had bought a VHS copy of the original Halloween. I didn't make a habit of watching it over and over. For me, it was a seasonal watch. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the film and I think it's great. Aside from the first one, the other ones I remember seeing where II and H20. Needless to say, I wasn't a huge Michael Myers fan back in the day. My slasher of choice was Freddy Krueger.

To be honest, I was surprised that they where going to remake this. Why ? The first one, even after almost 30 years (at that point) is still legendary. I was divided to say the least. One part of me thought it was a bad idea. The other part of me felt the sequels weren't doing the original much just justice. Maybe a fresh take is what the legend of Michael Myers needed. 

I was still divided until I read Rob Zombie was going to direct. Not only that, but John Carpenter gave him his blessing. John Carpenter, you know the guy who did the original ! Now, I wanted to see this get remade.

 I remember the trailer left me a little puzzled. "What the fuck is he doing with this ?" I thought to myself. It didn't look like the original nor did it look like any of the sequels. 

The first time I seen the movie, was on September 1, 2007. 

In a nutshell; it was gorier than the original, the story dug a little deeper into the mythology of Michael Myers, and the dialogue sounded like it came from a exploitation film. He borrowed very little from the original. This looked nothing like the movie I use to watch every halloween since I was 12. 

Needless to say, I was deeply impressed. For me, I seen the film not as a competitor to the original but as a tribute to the original. I mean here's a guy who essentially grew up watching the original. In that time prior to the remake, he's examined it and thought deeply how he would've made the movie. Zombie's a film nerd, bottom line. He took one of his favorite films, and made his own. That's all anybody really needs to see when they watch the film. 

As of now, the film is still the highest grossing labor day weekend movie. 

The End Of The Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy.

In the winter of '04, I got introduced to a British film called "Shaun Of The Dead". Never heard or read anything about this movie, bought it as a completely blind buy. After my first initial viewing, I fell in love with the world that Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, & Nick Frost created.

In '07, I seen "Hot Fuzz" opening weekend while it was in limited release here in the states. I enjoyed this more that "Shaun". Particularly due to the fact I clocked in a lot of hours watching 90's action films as a youth. It was a great reminder of how action films use to be.

Last night, I seen "The World's End". This film wraps up "The Three Flavors Cornetto" or "The Blood And Ice Cream" trilogy. It was sad to see the worlds Wright, Pegg, and Frost created come to end. However, nothing can last forever.

The film follows a group of friends who attempted 20 years ago to complete "The Golden Mile". The Golden Mile is a series of 12 pubs within a mile radius. They failed to reach the final pub, cleverly called "The World's End". 20 years have passed, most of them (excluding one) have grown up, moved away, and have became adults. The one who hasn't managed to grow up,  barely succeeds to gather everyone up to attempt to finish "The Golden Mile". When they get to their hometown, during their course of the mile; they realize something strange about the town they once called home. There's a eerie vibe about the pubs and the townspeople. The pubs aren't quite the same as they use to be. The townspeople kind of have a "robotic" mannerism.

The major change in this film I noticed right off the bat; Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play completely different characters. What do I mean by this ? In the past 2 films, Frost always has played the lovable "screw-up" whereas Pegg always plays the leader with a few flaws. In this one however, the roles are reversed. A major definite departure from the previous films in this trilogy. This made the film right from the get go worth watching. To this day, there has only been a few films I've seen Pegg play the screw up.

In this trilogy, the first film was a horror-romantic comedy film. The second was a action comedy film. This one is a social science fiction film. It was set (aside from the 90's montage in the beginning of the film) in modern times. Good departure considering what you normally get in a sci-fi film.  I normally don't watch too much science fiction. In my eyes, science fiction pieces are normally drawn out as far as story is concern and the films itself rely on loads of CGI. This film did have CGI work however, it wasn't overkill.

For the record, I don't hate or loathe Science Fiction. Not my genre of choice. I am really fond of Science Fiction films of the 70's and 80's. Haven't written the genre off completely, I just haven't found anything I have truly enjoyed......except if you count this film.

There are so many wrong ways, and a few right ways to end a trilogy. You end it the wrong way, the last installment gets regarded as the weakest link of the trilogy. You end it the right way, people have a hard time choosing which of the films are best out of the three. For the "Cornetto Trilogy", my favorite is "Hot Fuzz" however, I have a hard time choosing which is the best out of the three. Well done Edgar, Simon, and Nick !

The Most Notoriously Hated Film Of 2013....

I've been getting a kick out of reading reviews, rants, and overall bullshit "summaries" of Rob Zombie's latest film. While the Evil Dead "remake" (again, a term I am using very loosely) has divided horror fans in half, it seems "The Lords Of Salem" is probably one of the year's most notoriously hated film. While it seemed a moral majority hated this film, I absolutely fucking loved it ! Loved it so much that it's my favorite film of this year*.

Before I continue, I am a HUGE fan of Rob Zombie.......

"The Lords Of Salem" was released in limited release on April 19th of this year. The closest theater to me that was playing this film was 35 minutes away. On April 22nd, I got up early and made the 35 minute trek. Slapped down my 5 bucks at the box office, walked into an almost empty theater, and entered Mr. Zombie's world of horror.

The film's plot is very simple. Sheri Moon Zombie, plays a radio station DJ named Heidi. Heidi lives in Salem, Massachusetts, which is home to the Salem Witch Trials. One day, Heidi receives a mysterious record. When she decides to play the record, she goes into a trance. After the record is played on the radio show she co-hosts, weird things start to happen. Discoveries are made. Essentially, this inanimate object fucks her world all up.

While the story is well written, the visuals accompanying the story are just as entertaining. It's reminded a lot of a 70's euro horror film, just by the way it was shot. I love seeing a movie in a theater that would remind me of something I would've seen if I were alive 30 some years ago. I am such a fan of old films that for me, the real treat is seeing a film that's modern but yet somehow disguises itself as a film from another time. In this day and age of CGI, remakes, and product placements, you don't get a film like this too often. This was definitely a breath of fresh air away from the garbage that passes as a film today.


His casting choices are always interesting. Definitely takes the Quentin Tarantino approach when casting a film. Takes a slew of people you don't see in a movie that often. In this one, you have Meg Foster, Bruce Davison, and Patricia Quinn, along with Zombie alumni's Ken Foree, Dee Wallace Stone, Udo Kier, Michael Berryman, Sid Haig, and Jeff Daniel Phillips. Leading out the cast was Sheri Moon Zombie. With whom I felt did an amazing job for being the lead. I guess it was safe to say it was a demanding role, considering she played the victim. The victim that didn't really have any kind of closure at the end. No matter the circumstance, she definitely gets two thumbs up from me for playing a Rush fan. A very attractive Rush fan at that.

I think the hatred for Zombie's films stem from the "Halloween" remakes. In one aspect, it shouldn't have been remade. But in another aspect, the sequels weren't doing the original much justice either. A fresh take is just what the legend of Michael Myers needed. When it's all said and done, better to have someone like Zombie remake "Halloween"; someone whose a huge fan of the original films, who has been influenced a great deal by the film to remake it than some fresh out of film school director who knows nothing about Michael Myers. A fresh take is just what the legend of Michael Myers needed. But I guess judging from the criticisms from the remakes, people enjoy the horrible subsequent sequels stemming from the original.

This film will mark the end of Zombie's venture into horror film genre for a while. His next film project is about the infamous Broad Street Bullies. He's gone on record by saying the film will be a mixture of "Rocky" and "Boogie Nights". I cannot wait to see how this turns out.

As you can tell by reading, I really enjoyed this movie. Zombie, along with Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, and Kevin Smith are some of my favorite filmmakers whose films, I will rush out and see opening weekend. With that said, I always get my money's worth with those guys. They make movies for them, they put things on the screen they identify with. They could give a fuck less if anyone gets it. However, the real victory of that kind of flimmaking is the loyal following of fans that do get it.

Special thanks to internet trolls on message boards, half minded entertainment critics, and cheap gas station coffee.....







*Denotes the fact I haven't seen Edgar Wright's "The World's End" yet. That film, possibly could replace "The Lords Of Salem" as my favorite film of 2013. Stay tuned......

The Five Films, I Feel Should Be In the Criterion Collection.....But Aren't And Never Will Be !

For those non film aficionados, The Criterion Collection is a series of "important classic and contemporary films". The collection is made up art-house, foreign, independent, and "cult films". Starting out on the Laserdisc format, the company revolutionized the home video market by releasing Widescreen (aka "Letterbox") transfers, and tacked on Special Features on certain releases. Hence, they are the forefathers of the divine entity known as the "Special Edition".

I for one, have a love/hate relationship with the beloved Criterion Collection. I love that they reissue films, and give films the special edition treatment they wouldn't get otherwise. I hate the price tag, and the some of the films in their catalog. Why did "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" or the entire Wes Anderson filmography get first round Criterion releases ? Couldn't a studio just release a bare-bones edition of them first ? What makes them so deserving ? Then again, the same thing could be said about the 2 Michael Bay films that have made the collection.

(Here's a picture of my Criterion collection. Not pictured; Chasing Amy, Brazil box-set, and my Blade Runner laserdisc)

Their releases, has been subject to much criticism. Some enjoy the route they are going. And some, would rather them release more cult, mainstream titles. Personally, as a film nerd; I admire what they are doing. They are releasing films that would probably never get released otherwise. However, they could give some other films their treatment that I feel are more deserving. What that said, here's some films I feel deserve the Criterion treatment.

NOTE: these are films I feel have suffered either piss-poor or mediocre releases on either DVD, Blu-Ray, or both.

PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974)- A complete musical satire of music genres of the early 70's, blended with a updated, revamped telling of the "Phantom Of The Opera" tale. Rod Serling does a uncredited voice narration during the beginning. Directed by Brian DePalma and Music by Paul Williams. What more could you ask for ?

Way better of a cult musical than "Rocky Horror Picture Show". Just saying......


RIVER'S EDGE (1986)-  Teen films and or films about young people, ruled in the eighties. However, there came a point where the genre was just mimicking itself. Same old bullshit but just packaged different. This film, is a complete 180 from others in it's genre.

The film stars Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye, Daniel Roebuck, Crispin Glover, and the legendary Dennis Hooper. The film is about a group of small town teens. Their day starts out normal until, a friend of theirs tells them he killed his girlfriend. They all play it off as a joke until, he decides to show them her dead body. After seeing the body, the confusion sets in. Do they do the right thing and notify the authorities ? Or do they pretend they never seen it, and remain loyal to their friend ?

This film is dark. It's not a glitzy John Hughes picture. Aside from the subject matter, it's a deep film exploring themes such as morality, drug addiction, isolation, friendship, and loyalty. How this film got overlooked is beyond me. Then again, having a film being dubbed a "Cult Classic" is probably the best title a film can be given.

LAST ACTION HERO (1993)- Big budgeted action/comedy movie, the guy who directed Die Hard 1 and 3 did this, Schwarzenegger film and a summer blockbuster; not Criterion material. You're right. However, 2 of Michael Bay's films where included in the Criterion collection {The Rock and Armageddon} With that said, there is no excuse why Criterion shouldn't let a big budgeted action film into it's collection from time to time.

The fact Schwarzenegger on his own merit, acted in a movie that parodied a genre that made him a household name speaks volumes. Most in his position wouldn't dare. Granted, in today's society parodying oneself is widely accepted and welcome with open arms. Back in '93, to have a major star do it was a new concept.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987)- Personally, I am fond of Spielberg's work pre Jurassic Park. In this period I personally enjoy, he did some of his most memorable & signature films. There are a few films in that period that are completely underrated. The one film I feel is completely underrated is "Empire Of The Sun".

The movie has a simple premise; boy loses his parents in their war torn country during, boy goes to find his parents. The journey the boy takes makes this film worth watching.

I hadn't really had a keen interest in this film. I bought on VHS as a blind buy. After the first initial viewing, I was blown away. Simply because this wasn't your typical run of the mill Spielberg film. At this point in his career, he was Mr. ILM Latent, Summer Blockbuster. This, along with "The Color Purple" is a complete 180 from his previous films at that point.

On home video, Spielberg's films have always had the luxury of getting the Special Edition treatment first time around. To date, he's only had one Criterion release (the laserdisc edition of "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind", spine number 125). It would be nice if one of his underrated works got the Criterion treatment.

THE ROCKETEER (1991)-  This film, next to Tron is probably the best live action film Disney has ever done. Unlike "Tron", this film is not celebrated enough. Even though it's not as groundbreaking as "Tron", it's a brilliant film that I feel Disney sweeps under their rug time after time.

I seen this in the theater when I as child, and I was blown away. As a adult, it still blows me away. Why ? The special effects where not that bad for the time. The subject matter is not typical of a Disney film. Jennifer Connelly was smoking hot. Lastly, let's face it; The Rocketeer looked and still looks fucking cool ! Need I say more ?

I still own my childhood VHS copy, and I own the barebones DVD release. The film came out on Blu Ray a few years back. A digital upgrade who be nice however, I haven't swallowed my pride to chuck out 20 dollars on a barebones Blu Ray release.....

So, there you have it. I know some of these are a little far fetched but hey, we can dream right ?

Special thanks to boredom, having way too much time on my hands, and to http://fakecriterions.tumblr.com/ for inspiration.