Five for Friday, Vol. 17: JP's Favorite Movies of '05

So after my preface, we've come to my favorite movies of 2005. Note, as with many of my lists, the keyword is "favorite." This doesn't necessarily mean I think these were the best films of the year - just my favorite ones. The main qualification for this list is that it's a movie released this year that I saw - either at the theater or on DVD.

This was a tough list to make considering some of the big releases being from stories that have long been my favorites, so I took the easy way out for the top spot: a tie.

JP's Favorite Movies of 2005 (and I welcome readers to submit their own lists or heck, criticize mine):

1. (tie) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - I'll admit to being biased here, since SW: Ep IV was my formative movie experience back in '77. I understand what Lucas was trying to do by telling the story of Vader and after faltering some in Eps I and II, he regains a lot of the style and fun of the original trilogy with this one, I think. For me it was satisfying and entertaining - and I had high expectations for it. Many of the visuals were stunning, and amid the clunky dialogue, there were some moments of good drama. "You were The Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy The Sith, not join them! It was you who would bring balance to The Force, not leave it in Darkness!"

Batman Begins - Batman was always my favorite superhero growing up because he had no “super powers” other than his intellect and courage. I was excited at the possibility of Christopher Nolan directing as I loved Memento. But Burton’s 1989 Batman was tough to follow. Still I think Nolan gets it right, focusing more on developing Bruce Wayne as a character, letting us understand more clearly than any Batman movie before what makes a man dress up like a bat to fight crime.

This was an appropriate tie in my mind, since the stories have such similarity. A young boy has to deal with losing a parent/parents. Bruce Wayne overcomes his anger and desire for revenge, Anakin Skywalker does not.

3. King Kong - If you see one giant ape movie this year, it should be this one.
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Much like King Kong, there was so much right about this one but a few glaring problems (a lengthy movie with a lot of story crammed in) keep this one from soaring. But it's still very good, though I think I liked Prisoner of Azkabahn slightly more. I look forward to the next movie, though.
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - I always had a special place for Gene Wilder and the original movie, despite the creepy psychedelia that mostly went over my head back in the 1970s. Depp's amazing Willy Wonka is a more realized character. This one just seemed to have more heart. Another memorable, offbeat film from Burton.

Honorable Mentions:
War of the Worlds - Despite Cruise's offscreen year, I thought he was really good in this as the disaffected dad when the aliens come.
March of the Penguins - Beautifully shot doc about penguin love.
Kingdom of Heaven - Period piece about the Crusades at a curious release time, considering the war in Iraq, in which some fundamentalist Muslims claim as a modern Crusade. Liam Neeson was The Man in 05. I know historical leaps were taken and the middle part drags. But I thought it was engaging.
Sin City - Visually unique. So gory and dark, almost too much but not quite. But it did seem a tad too long, I thought.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit - More because the claymation fascinates me, as does the wacky English humor.

Movies out this year I wanted to see but didn’t get to:
Syriana - Politics of oil.
Munich - Politics of terrorism.
Capote - Looks like a tour de force by Philip Seymour Hoffman
Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
Good Night and Good Luck - Politics of commie hunting.
A History of Violence - Aragorn is in it and the storyline sounds provocative.
Shopgirl - Steve Martin wrote it.
Crash - Supposed to look at race.
The Aristocrats - Dirty joke documentary
The Squid and the Whale - Supposed to be a good character-driven piece.
Cinderella Man - Boxing epic
The Chronicles of Narnia -Fantasy epic
Broken Flowers - Bill Murray looking lonely and hangdog, whodda thunk it.
The New World - Period piece.
Last Days - Supposed to be a take on Cobain's last days.
Murderball - Looks like an interesting doc on wheelchair rugby.
Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride - Nuff said. I love Burton's stuff.

Preface to Five For Friday: JP on Movies

So, getting my list of favorite movies of the year together and had some thoughts to preface. I do enjoy movies...all kinds of movies. But when you look at my favorites and compare to the typical professional critic lists, I probably don't look like much of a discerning movie fan in the eyes of those guys but one of the herd that stampedes to the theater to see lowest common denominator entertainment.

I'm of two minds about that. One part of me wants to argue that there are some virtues to the "blockbusters." That there is some interesting and good moviemaking going on and that some of the critical barbs amount to nothing more than vanity and intellectual snobbery. I absolutely see some of the complaints and agree (or disagree). I've long argued that the movies I want to pay to see at the theater, I usually want to be films that lend themselves to being seen on the big screen, with the THX sound system cranked up to 11.

That leaves out a lot of films, to be sure. Films that I would probably like and quieter, more character-driven movies that lend more to me enjoying in the privacy and comfort of my own home...where I can pause and go back if I want to see a scene again to make sure I caught this or that subtlety or line. And a lot of times, some of those type movies don't make it to central Arkansas theaters. Or, owing to having a family, I just can't get out and see all the movies I would like to. That narrows down the field a bit.

I do see many of these films - just not in the year they came out. For example, just caught 21 Grams on cable the other night. That was a raw, painful movie from 2003 that I just couldn't look away from. The non-linear storytelling challenged me as it gave me bits of information and connections in places that informed earlier sequences. And the performances that carried the film weren't just the leads, Sean Penn, Benicio del Torro (who I've loved since Traffic) and Naomi Watts (whose performance was made more interesting since I just saw her in Kong). The supporting characters added greatly as they reacted to the actions of the main characters. It was sad and hopeful at the same time. I heard about it around the time the movie came out, but didn't get to see it for one reason or another.

As for my other mind as I rationalize my movie tastes: Who cares what others think?!?! So what if I was moved by the climactic faceoff between Anakin and Obi Wan in Revenge of the Sith. Does that make me blind to some of the shortcomings of the film - the sometime overabundance of computer-generated images or some gawd awful dialogue? No. But I went to the movie looking for escape and fun and that's what I found. Just like being drawn to 21 Grams by the awful situation that brings together 3 disparate characters who share more than they realize.

So it is what it is...and when I post my favorite movies of 2005, I won't be listed a lot of movies that are making the critic lists I've been seeing. Some of those flicks I haven't been able to see (but maybe I will in the years to come)...some of the movies - from what I know of them - don't appeal to me.

Oh, and one more thing...

Snootchie bootchies!

The First Rule of Movie Club...

Slate film critic David Edelstein once again hosts one of my favorite online reads of the year, the 2005 edition of The Movie Club. Starting Tuesday, Edelstein rounded up some of the nation's leading film critics for some back-and-forth on the best movies of the year, posted in the form of messages from each critic. The early debate centers on the messages and methods behind Spielberg's Munich, the Clooney-produced Syriana and Terrance Mallick's The New World.

It's always an insightful read for me, as a movie fan. Although I'm often left feeling the hillbilly rube as they discuss the finer points of art films, niche pictures and lots of movies I haven't seen or even heard of. But then again, it does put me onto some movies I might never have sought out. The discussion also provides some interesting views of movies from people who watch movies for a living. Needless to say when I list my favorite films of the year, it'll be pretty pedestrian compared to theirs. But so what. To paraphrase a Raising Arizona quote, I'm OK, their OK, that there's what it is.

In talking about movie reviews and reviewers, I'm reminded of something I think local reviewer Philip Martin said at some point. That reviewers walk that line between providing consumer information to people wondering if they should shell out the bucks to see King Kong and trying to analyze a movie and offer artistic criticism about a film. When done well, I think a good reviewer can accomplish both, I think. What do you think?

The Movie Club 2005 [Slate]

If Not King...Then Very Darn Good Kong

I think after seeing King Kong I now understand the concept of having too much of a good thing. Peter Jackson, who won Oscars galore for his Lord of the Rings epics goes the epic route on the remake of the classic film about the giant ape. Overall, I really really liked it. And I hate to echo the refrain of most all the critics I've read...but I think at more than 3 hours long...it's just too long.

I'm not afraid of legnthy films. I loved Jackson's LOTR movies. But I think that with a movie that long, you've got to justify that the story requires that much time to be told.

The first third of the movie - and some may grumble that it takes about an hour before we first glimpse Kong - is fun. There are some good character moments. Depression-era New York is realistically rendered. I was not antsy.

The last third of the movie - when Kong is captured and brought back to be exhibited as the Eighth Wonder of the World - is great. The computer-generated imagery of Kong rampaging through the streets looks photo realistic. The climb up the Empire State Building and the fight with the biplanes is awe-inspiring. We're also reminded of the heart of this movie with the interplay between Naomi Watts' Ann Darow and the protective Kong. I was still sad, even though I knew what would happen. Well done.

It's just that middle third, on Skull Island, that bogs down for me. Too many creepy-crawlies and chase scenes that seem to only exist to kill off members of the boat's crew. And the dino stampede...some of the shots are bad-looking CGI that almost pull you out of the movie. (Spoiler alert) Jackson spends a lot of time developing the black member of the crew and his father-like relationship with the kid. Then the man is killed, the boy is sad and his character disappears for the rest of the movie. When Kong fights the T-Rex, though, nearly all is forgiven because it looks perfect and is a thrilling sequence.

Wonderful movie. Might have been benefited greatly from losing 30-40 minutes, in my opinion. That might've sent it up to Titanic-type box office heights, but we'll never know. Still, you must go see it. It's great escapist, epic movie making. Jackson knows how to tell a story and knows how to entertain.

Seven for Sunday, 12/24/05

Merry Christmas out there on the Internets. It's been a busy two days visiting all the in-laws and outlaws. Got some new toys. Got my Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Thanks Mom and Dad). And listened to a lot of music while going over the river and through the woods.

Here's my list, based on my iPod playcount for the week ending 12/24 (last week's position):
1. Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day (1)
2. DOA - Foo Fighters (2)
3. Side of a Bullet - Nickelback (4)
4. Every Day Is Exactly the Same - Nine Inch Nails (7)
5. Dreaming - System of a Down (-)
6. Wasteland - 10 Years (-)
7. The Beast and the Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold (-)

Five for Friday, Vol. 16: JP's Favorite Songs of '05

'Tis the season for year-end lists. Everybody's doing them. Here's a nice roundup of Best of 2005 lists...

Dumbest Quote of the Year, according to about.com: Former First Lady Barbara Bush on Katrina refugees in the Houston Astrodome shelter...
"What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them."

Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Year": integrity...followed by refugee.

Critic Roger Ebert's top 10 movies of the year (my favorites will come next week): He chooses "Crash," which I haven't seen yet but comes highly recommended from friends who have.

But for right now, I'm sharing my favorite songs of the year. I can't do it based on iPod playlist, since I didn't have the iPod all year and I reset every week for the weekly list. So here's an unscientific roundup of the songs I couldn't get out of my head this year.

1. Blue Orchid - The White Stripes - A ripping guitar riff and attitude. This hit me in June when I was on vacation. I couldn't stop listening to it while on the beach. And a song already has the inside track when you associate it with somthing like lounging on the beach. ... "You got a reaction, didn't you?"

2. DOA - Foo Fighters - Probably not a classic in the Foo Fighters canon - and they have a lot of great songs. This was just that straight-forward rock song, bringing the melodrama of comparing the end of a relationship to death, that I couldn't get out of my head or off my iPod.

3. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani - I denied this song for the longest when I first heard it. But then I finally surrendered - aside from Blue Orchid, this was the other song that I grooved to on the beach while on vacation. Love the name check of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust."

4. BYOB - System of a Down - "WHY DO THEY ALWAYS SEND THE POOR!" he screams and I was instantly locked into this one, from the first of SOAD's two albums of 2005. An obvious political statement with the tempting tune to go to the desert and have a party while blowing up the sun.

5. Mr. Brightside - The Killers - Not since Duran Duran has dance rock been this fun. Eager to see if they can keep it going on album #2.

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Hung Up - Madonna
Bat Country - Avenged Sevenfold
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
Pretty Vegas - INXS
Holiday - Green Day
Wake Me When September Ends - Green Day
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Beverly Hills - Weezer
Only - Nine Inch Nails
Bite the Hand that Feeds - Nine Inch Nails
E-Pro - Beck
Hypnotize - System of a Down
Question! - System of a Down
Drop It Like It's Hot - Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell
Remedy - Seether

Have a Chewie Christmas, Everyone!

Arrrgh!

Earlier:
Our First Wookie American [Jonworld]

BREAKING NEWS: Something Funny on SNL

OK, it takes some time for news like this to trickle down - since we gave up on Saturday Night Live some years back (around the time Katan and Ferrell left - and we weren't even watching regularly by that time) but thanks to USA Today's Pop Candy, we are down with this rhyme straight outta Narnia.

Pretty good stuff.

"It's the chronic- What? -cles of Narnia!" [YouTube.com]
Pop Candy [USA Today]

It's Alive!...SuperFrankenblog

Another friend of JP tests the waters of the blogosphere in what he promises is only the beginning. We've known Mike since those heady days of our freshman year at the University of Arkansas. It will be fun to see how his trademark Horton Wit plays on the Internets.

So far, he takes on a trip down Amnesia Lane by posting his mullet-laiden UA ID card photo and gives props to Bowling for Soup.

DrMike's SuperFrankenBlog

Seven for Saturday, 12/17/05

Look at this, a new No. 1...the third in the short life of this countdown, following "DOA" by Foo Fighters and "Hung Up" by Madonna.

For the week ending 12/16, based on my iPod playcount (last week)
1. Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day - "In a land of make believe/that don't believe in me." Latest off Green Day's rock opera supplants the Foos. (4)
2. DOA - Foo Fighters - Let's see if it comes back again. (1)
3. Animals - Nickelback - Quite a week for Nickelback on my iPod (2)
4. Side of a Bullet - Nickelback - A buddy put me on to this one being about slain metal guitarist Dimebag Darrell, so I had to check it out. (-)
5. One Way Ticket - The Darkness - This one keeps bouncing up and down the countdown. (3)
6. Hung Up - Madonna - She keeps hangin' on. (5)
7. Every Day is Exactly the Same - Nine Inch Nails - A new one as I try to decide whether or not I want to get tickets to see NIN in March.

Five for Friday, Vol. 15: Alli's and Lucas' Favorite Songs

This week we turn the favorite over to 3-yr old Alli for her five favorite songs:

1. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani - "I like to sing it." (the clean version, obviously)
2. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Favorite part: "How I wonder what you are."
3. The Chipmunk Song - The Chipmunks - Tis the season for singing the Chipmunks' Christmas song in the car on the way to school. Favorite part: "Alvin!"
4. Hard Days Night - The Beatles - Gotta know the classics.
5. I Am The Walrus - The Beatles - Koo-koo-kachoo

And now, from 5yr old Lucas:
1. We Will Rock You - Queen - "Because they say some of my favorite words."
2. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - "You'll go down in history."
3. Some Kind of Monster - Metallica - "I like it because they sing loud." No, I'm not warping my son. I promise.
4. I Am the Walrus - The Beatles - "I am the egg men."
5. "Animal" - Def Leppard - "I just like it."

Now What Will 'West Wing' Do?

Was sad to hear news of the sudden death on Friday of actor John Spencer, who stars on one of my favorite shows "West Wing" as former White House Chief of Staff and now vice presidential candidate Leo McGarry.

Spencer suffered a fatal heart attack. Most everyone notes that last season, Spencer's "West Wing" character survived a heart attack. In the last Sunday's new episode, the last new episode before going on hiatus until January, a group of senators approach presidential candidate Matt Santos (Jimmy Smitts) and asked him to remove Josh, his current campaign manager, for some serious campaign missteps and replace him with McGarry. It will be sad but interesting to see how they work Spencer's death into the series.

UPDATE: Wonkette gives a proper shout out, noting Spencer as a reliable and talented "that guy" actor.

John Spencer Dies at 58 [Reuters via Yahoo]
"West Wing" Star's Sudden Death [E! Online via Yahoo]
Requiem for a Heavyweight [Wonkette]

Bush Says Bad Info Led Him to Right Decision

Wonkette helps me make some sense of the president's speech today where he took responsibility for going to war in Iraq, conceded the decision was made using intelligence that proved to be mostly wrong...but it was still the right decision. It gives me a headache to follow the logic...or lack thereof.

Leaves me wondering a few of things: Have we caught bin Laden yet?
How are things in Afghanistan?
What specific intelligence was wrong?
What good intelligence might have been ignored because it didn't lead to that "right" decision?
Why weren't we welcomed as liberators?
Why did we seem to misjudge the post war military/security needs so badly?
Why wasn't the "Mission Accomplished" when the president said it was?
Why wasn't the insurgency in the "last throes" as the vice president said almost six months ago?

I still have strongly conflicted feelings about Iraq. And concerns about what will happen when we eventually leave. Hussein definitely a bad man. But I sure feel we were pushed to war there (especially when I think Afghanistan shoulda been "Mission Accomplished" first). I had no question about the need and timing for deposing al-Queda there, but I feel like the country was sold a bill of goods on Iraq in order to test neo-con geopolitical theory.

Bush Admits Responsibility for Bad Intelligence... [Wonkette]

War on Christmas = War on Judaism?

My buddy Scott brings us some more analysis on the current Drudge and O'Reilly-fed cultural outrage, the "War on Christmas." Scott points to an opinion piece that wonders if some of the animus against those who wish a "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" might be expressing thinly-veiled anti-Semitism.

Says one Jewish essayist:
"The reason businesses have adopted the term “the holidays” in place of Christmas is that Christmas is one day, December 25th. “The holidays” suggests a period that runs from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, more time for shopping and exchanging. Anti-Christmas animus is a myth."

Then again, when your opponent won't engage you in a logical debate, just zing 'em with sarcasm...like online news satire site, The Onion with this late breaking development:
Activist Judge Cancels Christmas!

As the fake story quotes "War on Christmas" promoter John Gibson of Fox News, "They've been chipping away at Christmas rights for decades. Even before this ruling, you couldn't hear a Christmas song on the radio or in a department store. I hate to say it, America, but I told you so."

War on Christmas = War on Judaism [ScottStandridge.com]
Activist Judge Cancels Christmas [The Onion]

Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. Jonworld

So thanks to Pop Candy and a buddy at work, it looks like I've opened a dangerous Pandora's box: pandora.com and the online, streaming radio station you create yourself.

You name a band or musician and the automated thingy plays you music by that artist and then by similar artists based on musical characteristics. Kind of takes you an on interesting musical journey, with the chance to customize it further along the way ("No, I don't like this." "Play more music like this.")

So far I've created me stations for Metallica, The Beatles, Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, Queensryche and Green Day.

Pop Candy [USA Today]
Pandora.com

Better to Regret Something You Did...

...than something you didn't do.

I've been remiss in not saying anything about this really good story that appeared recently about one of my favorite bands, Green Day, and its Arkansas connection. Writing in the Arkansas Times, Joy Ritchey describes her relationship with former North Little Rock resident Jason White, who now plays guitar on tour for the band (kind of the fifth Beatle, if you will).

Joy, aka ARMedia, writes an intense first-person account of her and White's friendship (highlight: making out to the Beastie's "Paul's Boutique") and the band's international superstar status today compared with a 1992 appearance at Vino's in LR. Speaking of, I see Joy's ARMedia site, which has provided incisive and sometimes caustic analysis of local media, has gone dark. Or at least she says she's done. Sorry to see that. Unless it means she's going to a full time writing gig.

For The Love of Green Day [Ark Times]

Not the Kind of Pregnancy Test I Would Want

This, from KTHV (with video):

"Imagine jumping out of an airplane and having your parachute fail, but you somehow survive the impact. That's what happened to 21-year-old Shayna Richardson of Joplin, Mo., while she was skydiving in Siloam Springs, Ark. in October."

..."During the weeks of surgeries, doctors found out Richardson was also two weeks pregnant. Now, 10 weeks after the fall both Richardson and her baby are on the road to recovery. Her baby is due in June and Richardson says she hopes to be skydiving again by August."

A more detailed AP story is here. I bet she'll be making the rounds of the talk shows next.

Woman Discovers She's Pregnant After Parachute Fails [KTHV]
Pregnant Skydiver Survives Face-First Plunge Into Ground [AP via Baxter Bulletin]

Seven for Sunday, 12/11/05

Nothing new at #1. But there's some new Green Day appearing on the playlist and Nickelback seems to be ready to make a play for the top spot.

For the week ending 12/10, based on my iPod playcount (last week):
1. DOA - Foo Fighters - Can anything unseat it. I listen to other stuff, but I keep coming back to this one and rocking out. (1)
2. Animals - Nickelback - They try to out sleaze "Figured You Out." Not quite but a fun listen. (2)
3. One Way Ticket - The Darkness - A resurgence for this one, which almost fell off. (7)
4. Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day - A little punk rock opera. (-)
5. Hung Up - Madonna - Dancing her way back down. (2)
6. Attack - System of a Down - Menacing metal. (5)
7. Hypnotize - System of a Down - Now just waiting for his girl. (3)

Another Rock Death Anniversary

Wow, was so wrapped up thinking about the anniversary of Lennon's death, I let another anniversary slip by, the first anniversary of the murder of former Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. Thanks to Southern Wench for reminding me.

As my favorite online musical encyclopedia so rightly said, "No band affected the metal world more so than Pantera in the early to mid-90s." Though I'd argue that Metallica's Black Album coming in 1991 did quite a bit to affect the metal world. But anyway, I really liked Pantera (at least from Cowboys From Hell through Far Beyond Driven - after that, they sapped away most all melody in the name of brutal thrash, which just didn't do it for me. From the moment my buddy Fred brought the then new "Cowboys From Hell" to the dorm room for us to hear. It was amazing, and the major reason was Dimebag's guitar virtuosity.

On Dec. 8, 2004, he was gunned down on stage while performing with his new band, Damageplan. Lawsuits now follow.

I feel fortunate to have been able to see Pantera in July 2001, on what was their last tour together. They came to Riverfest Amphitheatre and put on a whale of a show. It was everything I was wanting to see from them: loud, blistering met-ul with Dimebag demonstrating the art of shredding riffs and guitar solos from hell. You are missed.

Family of Dimebag Darrell Sues Club Where He was Shot [FMQB]
Metal Man [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
You Are Missed, Dime [Southern Wench]

Richard Pryor, RIP

One of the greats in comedy has died. Richard Pryor. In my early days of having cable, I'd sneak a listen at his concert films shown on Showtime. He was like no other.

Always loved the bit about being forced to walk to the tree to get a switch so his momma could whip his butt. And it swished in the wind while he was walking with it, so he was already crying when he got back. Wonderfully and hilariously told.

There was also the great bit about deer hunting and sneaking to through the forest and coming upon the deer drinking from a pond (a hilarious immitation), then he reveals to his father he didn't bring the gun. Pryor was a master of profanity but even when he didn't use it, he was sharp and funny.

Had some funny movies, too. The Toy. Stir Crazy ("Yeah. That's Right. We bad.") And here's some movie trivia for you, Kevin Spacy was in the cast with Pryor and Gene Wilder in 1989's "Hear No Evil, See No Evil," as well as Lauren Tom, who some might remember as Ross' girlfriend on "Friends" that he was dating when Rachel discovered her feelings for him.

His daughter, Rain, has posted a short message to him, too. Salon has this essay, which gives us a flavor of what made Pryor so very Pryor: the "rage, vulnerability and painful honesty" that comes with being the son of a prostitute. The kind of man, who upon being told he was to receive the Mark Twain Prize for Humor, remarked: "It's nice to be regarded on a par with a great white man -- now that's funny!"

Pathbreaking Comedian Richard Pryor Dies [AP via Yahoo]
Pryor Knowledge [Salon]

Five for Friday, Vol. 14: Beatlemania Edition

In memory of John Lennon, here are the favorite Beatle songs of JP. This is another tough list because I like so many for so many different reasons. There are so many classics, so many hits, so many underrated nuggets. So many grand statements. So many beautiful tunes. (And thanks, Alan, for your list...you got me thinking.)

But, if Maxwell's Silver Hammer was against my head, here are the five (or so) I couldn't live without:

1. A Day In The Life - The perfect combination of John and Paul. A song that is epic and intimate at the same time. A song that is artsy and pop. Lennon's dreamy invitation to turn us on while recounting the suicide of a member of the House of Lords and pot holes bookend Paul's middle class morning routine of getting ready for work and dragging the comb across his head. Then the build...then the crash.
2. Help! - The rockinest, poppyest tune about a nervous breakdown. Ever.
3. In My Life - It's the song I want to dedicate to SP, official wife of JP. A perfect ballad of life and love.
4. Hard Day's Night - This reminds us all that The Beatles were a rock band. A bar band. This is fun and fast and instantly singable.
5. Hey Jude - Who hasn't got the "naa na na na-naa-na-naa" stuck in their head at least once in their life? A wonderful song with sweet back story.

Others in my heart and head:
Eleanor Rigby
Please, Please Me
She Loves You
I Want To Hold Your Hand
Eight Days a Week
Yesterday
Ticket To Ride
I Feel Fine
Here Comes The Sun
Revolution I
I'm So Tired
I'm Only Sleeping
Tomorrow Never Knows
I'm Looking Through You
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Helter Skelter
Twist and Shout
Two of Us
Penny Lane
Strawberry Fields Forever
...and I could go on. :)

For John

I'm a day late following on the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death, but I've been pondering what to say. I plan the Five for Friday to center on The Beatles, probably my favorite band along with Metallica (and lately, Green Day, who more and more sound Beatlesque to me).

My Mom introduced me to Lennon and The Beatles when I was little with her copy of the record "Meet The Beatles." I listened to it a lot, my favorite songs being "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You" and "All My Loving." There will never be enough words to describe what The Beatles meant to music, to our culture and to the world. It cannot be overstated.

CNN's coverage of activities in New York that include a visit by his widow Yoko Ono, includes a lot of background - including several musicians and performers - from John Fogerty to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong to Linsay Lohan (?!?!) discussing the impact of Lennon.

After a lull, I dove into the band just out of college and got all of the albums. I always favored Paul a bit over John. I played bass in a band. I thought Paul wrote more catchy songs. But John was the musical genius. I don't think the band would never have been what it was without the both of them counterbalancing each other. My favorite Lennon song was the post-Beatles "Imagine." I get choked up most every time I hear it. So very moving and poetic and timeless.

I don't remember where I was when I heard Lennon had been murdered. I was 9 - but familiar with The Beatles through Mom - but I know many who remember it because they were watching Monday Night Football and got the news from iconoclast Howard Cosell.

Of the coverage I've read, this really hit me - an interview with the doc who was in the ER that night and tried to revive Lennon.

Yoko Ono Joins Vigil for John Lennon [CNN]
Lennon Lives Forever [Rolling Stone]
BBC Interview of Lennon by Rolling Stone's Wenner [BBC]
Telling It Like Was on a Hard Day's Night [LA Times]
'All The Nurses Broke Out In Tears' [The Age]
Like a Rolling Stone [TPM Cafe]
The Impact of John Lennon (from performers including pop tart actress Lindsay Lohan?!?!?!) [CNN]

How The Bush Stole Christmas

So today it's all about the holiday seas--err Christmas. Religious correctness gets out of hand when Christian conservatives go after Bush because he has the gall to send out "holiday" cards and not "Christmas" cards. Doug Krile and the Arkansas Times are among those chuckling over the ridiculousness of this one.

'Holiday' Cards Ring Hollow For Some on Bushes' List [Wash Post]
Trial Questions and Christmas [WB42 Report With Doug Krile]
The War On Christmas [Arkansas Times]

At Least You Don't Have 26 Parties to Host

Slate's John Dickerson has an amusing piece today reminding us that while sometimes "it's good to the king," the Christmas season may not be the most fun time to be the president. Sure, the season is fun, but when the president has to host 26 Christmas parties in less than a month for friends and enemies alike...you almost feel for the guy...almost.

For you numbers people:
"The 9,500 guests will consume roughly the same menu of ham, turkey, lamb, cheeses, and gnocchi from an enormous candlelit table in the State Dining Room. The first lady's office reports that when the last guest collects his coat, 30,000 Christmas cookies, 10,000 petit fours, 1,100 truffles, and 2,100 pounds of sweet potatoes will have disappeared."

Marathon of Mirth [Slate]

The Ritual Buying of the Bread When Snow is Forecast

OK folks, weather forecasters say there is a chance of snow or sleet in central Arkansas on Wednesday/Thursday. Race you to the store to buy some bread.

It's the classic - and much-documented - occurance (or some say urban legend) in the South, where we don't see much snow. And thus even a hint of "the white stuff" brings out fear buying of the staples...bread, milk and eggs. I mean, you never know.WB42's Doug Krile points out some of the ridiculousness of it.

At least this behavior doesn't appear to be confined to the South. And apparently TP enters the equation, says the WashPost.

Snow!! [The WB42 Report with Doug Krile]
Snow is Here...Bread is Gone [Pittsburgh Live]
A Tissue of Lies [The Washington Post]

Medical Storytelling

Caught this lecture last week at UAMS by Dr. Neal Baer, who currently serves as executive producer for "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit." He previously wrote for "ER" (once my favorite show) for that show's first seven seasons (back when it was my favorite) - before it jumped the shark.

The lecture was engaging and interesting. People get a lot of health information from TV shows like "ER," which can help if the information is accurate and beneficial, he said. He spoke of his medical career and love of writing leading him to his current work.

"Baer emphasized the need for doctors to connect with their patients, to listen to their stories and to translate what they learn into an accurate diagnosis. He defined this type of storytelling as “private” and only to be shared among medical personnel to develop an appropriate treatment plan for each patient."

Also, in answer to a question from the audience, Dr. Baer discussed accuracy vs. inaccuracy in medical TV shows, or "You mean why is Grey’s Anatomy so incorrect?” He said that Grey's network, ABC, considers the show more "soap" than medical drama. He mentioned that he also knows the medical adviser to Grey’s Anatomy (a JP guilty pleasure). “But I don’t think they use her very much.”

Good Storytelling Essential to Good Medicine [UAMS]
Jump the Shark - Chronicling the Moments When TV Shows Go Downhill [jumptheshark.com]
Entertainment, The Best Medicine [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]

Seven for Sunday, 12/4/05

Got some new music loaded into the iPod this week. Expect a full review of the new System of a Down album soon after giving it a few days to work its way into my head.

For the week ending 12/4/05, based on the play count of my iPod (last week):
1. DOA - Foo Fighters - Back on top. (2)
2. Hung Up - Madonna - I still really like this dance tune. (1)
3. Hypnotize - System of a Down (3)
4. Animals - Nickelback - Every time I write them off as Bon Jovi: The Next Generation, with nothing but syrupy (but well done) ballads, they come back with a chunky rocker, like this one. (-)
5. Attack - System of a Down - The opening blast off the new album. It's jarring and tough. (-)
6. Bat Country - Avenged Sevenfold (4)
7. One Way Ticket - The Darkness - A nice, catchy song, but it's not "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." (6)

Five For Friday, Vol. 13: Christmas Story Edition

As we flip the calendar to December, I pause to indulge my most vivid Christmas memories from my youth. Way back in the 1970s and early 1980s, I walked uphill both ways through snow and ice just to get to my presents on Christmas morning. Fortunately, the year I got a Red Ryder BB gun from Santa, I did not put my eye out.

And sure, there are great memories of family and fun and all the traditional stuff...but here's are the things that really stayed with me.

Here, through the gauzy vision of my selective memory, are some vivid Christmas time memories from the youth of JP:

1. Tornado - On Dec. 23, 1982, a tornado struck my hometown of Malvern on an unseasonably warm and humid December day. I was 11. The storm knocked down a couple of trees in our yard - included one on the extreme corner of the house causing minor damage. I spent the storm in the bathroom, taking cover with Mom and Grandma. Dad was out shopping when it hit. Was two hours before he was able to make it home. We were without power for 3 days. Mom cooked Christmas dinner in the fireplace. And wouldn't you know it...after wanting it so badly, I finally got an Atari 2600 video game system, but had no power to play it for almost two days.
2. Tree Hunting - Back in the day, we always used real trees for Christmas. So for a few years, me and Dad would trek into the wilds of Dallas County, near Grandma and Grandpa's house and find us a tree. I remember one year in particular - but can't remember which year it was - there was a light snow while we searched. It was pretty and quite in the woods. And we found our tree.
3. Sneaky sneaky - When I was old enough and brave enough, I sneaked into the den Christmas night to check out what Santa had brought me. Though there were two possible routes, I always chose the danger...crawling through my parents' bedroom...opening the door to the den as quietly as possible...and WOW, I got a 10-speed bicycle!!! It was tough, but I always managed to seem surprised in the morning when I got my first "real" look at my loot.
4. Chipmunks! - So I had a couple of Chipmunks Christmas records that I really loved. All the seasonal classics, Chipmunk style. The family rule was that I couldn't start listening to them until Santa appeared at the end of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. So there I was, needle poised over the record on Thanksgiving morning, ready to listen to the Chipmunks sing "The 12 Days of Christmas."
5. It's a Nice Day for a White Christmas - One year after the tornado, there was a foot of snow on the ground for Christmas. It was one of the few white Christmases I've experienced in my life.

Stop! Or My Grandma Will Steal Baby Jesus

The 70-year-old grandmother thought she was engaging in an innocent and tradition-steeped prank in Eureka Springs by stealing the baby Jesus statue from a nativity scene. Think again.

"It was a lark, it wasn't any serious stealing," Virginia Voiers told the Lovely County Citizen newspaper of Eureka Springs. "My granddaughter commented that no one had taken the baby Jesus this year and said, 'Grandma?' I said, 'Oh, what the heck.'"

Grandma Charged, Blames 'Tattletale' After Prank Jesus Theft [AP via Baxter Bulletin]

On a Very Special 'Jonworld'...

Jonworld Chief TV Media Watcher LT surprised us with TV Guide's list of 100 Unexpected TV Moments.

At the top, three I never saw:
1) NEWHART, SERIES FINALE (5/21/90)
2) WBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, TYSON V. HOLYFIELD. MAN BITES EAR STORY. (6/28/97)
3) DALLAS, BOBBY EWING ALIVE, SEASON NINE A DREAM. (5/16/86)

Among the list notables:
8) SEINFELD, GEORGE'S FIANCEE LICKS CHEAP ENVELOPES, DIES. (5/16/96)
10) ST. ELSEWHERE FINALE: ENTIRE SERIES IMAGINED BY AUTISTIC CHILD. (5/25/88)*
22) '88 VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, BENTSEN TO QUAYLE: " ... AND SENATOR, YOU'RE NO JACK KENNEDY." (10/5/88)
31) WKRP IN CINCINNATI. LIVE TURKEYS DROPPED FROM HELICOPTER (10/30/78)
59) THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL, THE LEGENDARY CBS GALACTIC SPECTACULAR. (11/17/78) PHOTOS ONLY
81) DUKES OF HAZZARD COUSINS "COY" and "VANCE" REPLACE ORIGINAL "BO" AND "LUKE" AFTER CONTRACT DISPUTE (9/24/82)
98) BATTLESTAR GALACTICA IN THE FIRST SEASON FINALE, BOOMER IS REVEALED AS A CYLON, LEAVES COMMANDER ADAMA FOR DEAD. (1/24/05)

TV Guide and TV Land Join Forces To Count Down The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments [TV Guide via PRNewswire]

(*) LT also tips us to a bizarre one we never heard. Check out info on the mind-bending finale and the transcript here.

Scream

Being the movie geek I am, I was explaining the "Wilhelm Scream" in the Star Wars saga and other movies to some co-workers and looked to the Net for some background.

Oops, found out that the scream long pre-dates Star Wars soundmaster Ben Burtt's use of it in the Star Wars movies. According to hollywoodlostandfound.net, the scream originated in the 1951 Gary Cooper movie "Distant Drums" (which when I read the synopsis, I remembered seeing it long ago on cable) and a poor soldier being eaten by a gator. Burtt, looking for effects for the first Star Wars movie (Ep. IV), came across the sound in the archives and called it the Wilhelm for Pvt. Wilhelm, who lets out the scream when he's shot in the leg by an Indian in the 1953 movie "The Charge At Feather River."

The source of the classic scream, heard in more than 70 movies, is the singer of the #1 novelty classic from 1958, "Purple People Eater," Sheb Wooley, who had an uncredited role in "Distant Drums."

And the rest is fascinating movie history. Now start looking for Wilhelm screams in your favorite movies.

The Wilhelm Scream [hollywoodlostandfound.net]