In Episode 4, Ben and I discuss the surprises I’ve encountered during my quest for ten thousand films and talk about our favorite twist ending films.
Everything that follows is older than Tom Holland: A look back at 1995
In 1995: O.J. Simpson was acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman; Mississippi ratified the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution; Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City; The first DVD was made available; eBay went online; Calvin and Hobbes ended its ten-year run in… Continue reading Everything that follows is older than Tom Holland: A look back at 1995
The Quest – Episode 3
On this episode of The Quest, Ben and I acknowledge the limitations and variables of time, specifically the time it takes to watch and catalog ten thousand movies. With time on the brain, we naturally thought of films which feature time travel.
11905 HE*: A look back at 1905
*The Human era calendar, first proposed by Cesare Emiliani in 1993 was an attempt to eliminate the confusing distinction of BC and BCE in the Common Era calendar. 11905 HE is the Common Era equivalent of 1905. In 1905: The Russo-Japanese War ended; The Trans-Siberian Railway opened; Las Vegas was founded; Albert Einstein published his ideas regarding the special theory… Continue reading 11905 HE*: A look back at 1905
The Quest – Episode 2
Welcome back to episode two of The Quest, the supplemental podcast to my ambitious project. Last time in our premiere episode, Ben and I spent some time talking about firsts, our first memory of going to the movies, and my top five movies with “First” in the title. In our second episode, we’ll spend some… Continue reading The Quest – Episode 2
Reflections on 3171, Year of Our Lady of Discord: A look back at 2005
In 2005: Saddam Hussein was tried for crimes committed against humanity during his time in power; YouTube launched; Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles; Former FBI agent Mark Felt publicly identified himself as Deep Throat; Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans; The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published twelve controversial drawings of the prophet Muhammad; Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor of Germany; Logo debuted; Lost… Continue reading Reflections on 3171, Year of Our Lady of Discord: A look back at 2005
The Quest – Episode 1
When people here about my borderline insane quest to watch ten thousand movies, their initial reaction is skepticism. They think I’m either kidding or I’ve lost my mind. After they realize I’m serious, the questions begin. Why are you doing this? How do you have time? What movies have you seen? What’s your favorite movie?… Continue reading The Quest – Episode 1
Green with fury
The Green Berets (1968) Colonel Mike Kirby (John Wayne) arrives in South Vietnam to lead a group of Special Forces while embedded journalist George Beckworth (David Janssen) reports on the conflict. Through a series of skirmishes with the Viet Cong, the film attempts to demonstrate the heroism and honor of American soldiers. I liked George Takei as… Continue reading Green with fury
Best of the 1900s
Kobelkoff (1900) This short film about “Human Torso” Nikolai Kobelokoff reminds us how different the world was a century ago. With no arms or legs, Kobelkoff became a circus freak. In this short snippet it looks like he is enjoying his life despite his severe handicap. Some viewers will see this as exploitation; they have… Continue reading Best of the 1900s
Best of the 1910s
The Birth of a Flower (1910) A remarkable achievement from the early days of cinema: a lovely large scale exploration of a small scale occurrence which often flies under our radar. The Hallucinations of Baron Munchausen (1911) Once again, Georges Méliès demonstrates his enormous creative capacity, using the story of Baron Munchausen as a launching pad… Continue reading Best of the 1910s