In chronological order, these are the books I read in the last year:
Non-Fiction
1. The Choice by Eli Goldratt
2. Plugged In by Tamara Erikson
3. Personal Development For Smart People by Steve Pavlina
4. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
5. Pro-Blogger by Darren Rowse
6. Moneyball by Michael Lewis
7. On Writing by Stephen King
8. The Dip by Seth Godin
9. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
10. The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
11. Emergency by Neil Strauss
12. The Power Of Less by Leo Babauta
13. Liars Poker by Michael Lewis
14. How To Lie With Statistics by Darrell Huff
15. Ahead Of The Curve by Philip Delves Broughton
16. The Lean Manager by Freddie and Michael Balle
17. A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink
18. The Game by Neil Strauss
19. The Myths Of Innovation by Scott Berkun
20. What Every Body Is Saying by Joe Navarro
21. The Balanced Scorecard by Robert S Kaplan and David P Norton
22. The Strategy Focused Organisation by Robert S Kaplan and David P Norton
23. Strategy Maps by Robert S Kaplan and David P Norton
24. Superfreakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner
25. What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
26. Nudge by Richard H Thaler and Cass R Sunstein
27. The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss*
28. Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton
29. Indexed by Jessica Hagy
30. Isn't It Obvious? by Eli Goldratt
31. Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
32. Oops! 13 Management Practices That Waste Time and Money by Aubrey C Daniels
Fiction
1. Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis
2. Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
3. My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult
4. Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk
5. Dexter By Design by Jeff Lindsay
6. Generation A by Douglas Coupland
7. Lord Of The Flies by William Golding
8. Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
9. Searching For Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
10. Calling On Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
11. Talking With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
12. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Top 5 books of the year to follow shortly.
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Steev's Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients:2x Haas Avocados
1x Small Onion
1x Red Chilli
2x Limes
1x Garlic Clove
Fresh Coriander
Directions:
- Finely chop half of the Onion,
- De-seed and finely chop the Chilli (it won't be too spicy),
- Crush and very finely chop the Garlic,
- Finely chop the Coriander leafs,
- Halve and de-stone the Avocados and scoop the insides into a bowl,
- Cut the Limes in half and squeeze the juice over the Avocados,
- Mash the Avocados into the lime juice with a fork,
- Mix in the other chopped ingredients,
- Cover the Guacamole tightly with cling-film (squeeze the air out) and place in the fridge for an hour or so to marinate,
- Open some Tortilla Chips, dip and enjoy!
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Top 5 Worst Airports
1. London Heathrow (LHR)
I can barely put my hate of this airport into words. The words that spring to mind are; disorganised, crowded, dilapidated (or large portions of it) and crap. Three of the terminals are straight out of the 60's. The layout of everything from checkin, to security, to the gates, to baggage reclaim, is appalling. Security checks are painfully slow and in Terminal 2 bits are falling off the wall. The transfers between terminals are slow and awkward, the bus transfer to Gatwick is nigh on impossible to find. Terminal 4 is barely adequate and Terminal 5 - when they get it working right - might be ok. The problem is invariably you are never confined to the ok terminals and have to spend time in the awful ones. Sure there are renovations going on (which makes the current situation even worse) but most of it is so bad they should just level everything and start again. The worst part is that business travel agents insist on transferring you through Heathrow, regardless where you are coming from or going to, as if it is some sort of treat. I would rather transfer through the 7th circle of hell than Heathrow.
I can barely put my hate of this airport into words. The words that spring to mind are; disorganised, crowded, dilapidated (or large portions of it) and crap. Three of the terminals are straight out of the 60's. The layout of everything from checkin, to security, to the gates, to baggage reclaim, is appalling. Security checks are painfully slow and in Terminal 2 bits are falling off the wall. The transfers between terminals are slow and awkward, the bus transfer to Gatwick is nigh on impossible to find. Terminal 4 is barely adequate and Terminal 5 - when they get it working right - might be ok. The problem is invariably you are never confined to the ok terminals and have to spend time in the awful ones. Sure there are renovations going on (which makes the current situation even worse) but most of it is so bad they should just level everything and start again. The worst part is that business travel agents insist on transferring you through Heathrow, regardless where you are coming from or going to, as if it is some sort of treat. I would rather transfer through the 7th circle of hell than Heathrow.
2. Sydney International (SYD)
A recent addition to my 'shit list' of airports and the criticism is equally valid for Perth (PER) and Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL). The long and the short of it is; the terminal designs are awful, the shops and restaurants suck and in the case of Sydney, security don't know their ass from their elbow. While transferring between the domestic and international terminals at Sydney, i was on a bus with a lot of people whose connecting flight was being held for them. Only once we got off the bus, we spent 30 minutes stuck behind a locked security door, while people continued to pile off more buses. There were no CCTV cameras, so security had no idea where we were, the space was small cramped, rapidly filling up and the whole thing was just a shambles. I dread to think how poor the security is in general if they can't even unlock a door. Once i finally made it into the terminal, no-one knew where my flight was supposed to leave from. My ticket said one thing, security said another, the transfer desk another still, oh and screens that are supposed to display the information were all wrong. It was not until i ran into some sort of manager, that i or anyone else, knew what gate the flight was supposed to leave from ... 10 minutes before boarding. It is suddenly clear why so many people are prepared to pay $770/year to get into the Qantas Club. It is less of an executive lounge and more access to the standard of airport everyone should have. Finally Australia is the only country in the world, where they screen your baggage on the way out of the airport too. It should not take an hour after you get your luggage, to get out of an airport. Australian airports suck!
3. London Luton (LTN)
Another airport straight out of the 60's and falling to bits. Crappy shops and the worst part is that it is in the arse end of nowhere and a pain to get in to London. The only upside is that it is quite hard to end up there unless you are flying Easyjet.
4. Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG)
The thing that really irks me about CDG is that even the brand new Terminal 2 sucks. Rubbish shops, rubbish restaurant (singular), no access to executive lounges in large parts of it. Terminal 1 is worse of course, similar to most of Heathrow in its dilapidation. Oh and the easiest way to get their is by train ... unless of course there is a rail strike ... then you queue for an hour only to be crammed like a sardine onto a train and arrive 4 hours late. The only thing it has going for it, is that allegedly it isn't as bad as Paris Orly (ORY), though i can't confirm this as i haven't been.
5. Newark Airport (EWR)
Firstly this airport is not in New York, no matter what your travel agent tells you. The executive lounge is pretty much the same as the rest of the airport, but with very limited free snacks. Also they feel the need to show you a video on the plane when you are landing, telling you to only use official taxi's. Only they don't keep the unofficial taxi drivers out of arrivals area, so it is almost impossible to tell whether they are official or not, until you are at the car. Finally the TSA there deserve special ire, they strip searched a friend of mine because she has a muslim name. Despite the fact she was wearing western clothes, despite the fact she has a French passport, despite the fact she was returning from company training from an american multinational and most surprisingly, despite the fact she was flying Virgin business class. I mean really.
Top 5 Best Airports
1. Vancouver International (YVR)
Amazing architecturally, loads of awesome shops and the view from the flight in or out is breathtaking in all but the worst weather. The waiting areas are expansive and offer great views to the mountains, it also feels very relaxed compared to a lot of the american airports i have been to. The immigration hall could use some tweaking for when multiple flights land at the same time, but overall easily my favourite airport.
2. Hong Kong International (HKG)
Just pipped Shanghai to the number 2 position, due to slightly better restaurants and being able to get Twitter on the free wifi. There is an amazing selection of shops, it is about as compact as it could be, good selection of restaurants and best of all free wifi with full access. Not as architecturally impressive as Shanghai but very pleasant.
3. Shanghai Pudong International (PVD)
The only airport in the world where my luggage has beaten me to the reclaim carrousel and i wasn't slow off the plane either. The first thing that strikes you is the size both horizontally and vertically, it just seems to go on forever. It is very architecturally impressive too, i stopped at the top of the escalator from arrivals to stare at the ceiling. It has an ok selection of shops and restaurants and is very pleasant to be in. The only two complaints are: It is the opposite of compact; it is a serious hike between the domestic and international terminals and woe betide you if your gate is at the end of one of the stupendously long terminals. Secondly the internet is 'chinese filtered' so no Twitter, Blogger or for those of you who like it, Facebook.
4. Reykjavik International (REK)
I'll lead off by saying it isn't huge and the shops suck. What makes this airport are the views and the architecture. From the flight in or out and the terminal there are some amazing views. The building is almost exclusively made from laminated wood and it is not a small building so very impressive also. As long as you bring a book or an MP3 player if you have a long layover, its great.
5. Bristol International (BRS)
Easily my favourite small airport. It may be a bit of a pain to get to if you don't know the area, but it is compact, has some decent shops and is quick to get into and out from. There is also a good selection of domestic and an ok selection of international destinations. What more could you ask for?
Amazing architecturally, loads of awesome shops and the view from the flight in or out is breathtaking in all but the worst weather. The waiting areas are expansive and offer great views to the mountains, it also feels very relaxed compared to a lot of the american airports i have been to. The immigration hall could use some tweaking for when multiple flights land at the same time, but overall easily my favourite airport.
2. Hong Kong International (HKG)
Just pipped Shanghai to the number 2 position, due to slightly better restaurants and being able to get Twitter on the free wifi. There is an amazing selection of shops, it is about as compact as it could be, good selection of restaurants and best of all free wifi with full access. Not as architecturally impressive as Shanghai but very pleasant.
3. Shanghai Pudong International (PVD)
The only airport in the world where my luggage has beaten me to the reclaim carrousel and i wasn't slow off the plane either. The first thing that strikes you is the size both horizontally and vertically, it just seems to go on forever. It is very architecturally impressive too, i stopped at the top of the escalator from arrivals to stare at the ceiling. It has an ok selection of shops and restaurants and is very pleasant to be in. The only two complaints are: It is the opposite of compact; it is a serious hike between the domestic and international terminals and woe betide you if your gate is at the end of one of the stupendously long terminals. Secondly the internet is 'chinese filtered' so no Twitter, Blogger or for those of you who like it, Facebook.
4. Reykjavik International (REK)
I'll lead off by saying it isn't huge and the shops suck. What makes this airport are the views and the architecture. From the flight in or out and the terminal there are some amazing views. The building is almost exclusively made from laminated wood and it is not a small building so very impressive also. As long as you bring a book or an MP3 player if you have a long layover, its great.
5. Bristol International (BRS)
Easily my favourite small airport. It may be a bit of a pain to get to if you don't know the area, but it is compact, has some decent shops and is quick to get into and out from. There is also a good selection of domestic and an ok selection of international destinations. What more could you ask for?
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Top 10 Fiction Books
1. Girlfriend In A Coma by Douglas Coupland
2. Less Than Zero by Brett Easton Ellis
3. Rant by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
5. The Stand by Stephen King
6. Dexter In The Dark by Jeff Lindsay
7. Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower Book 4) by Stephen King
8. Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein
9. American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
10. 1984 by George Orwell
For some unknown reason i hit a real mental block when it came to compiling this list. Part of it is because i tend to read a lot more non-fiction than fiction. The other part is that my fiction collection is back in the UK and i have probably forgotten some awesome stuff. Lastly i found it really hard to put into words why i liked these books, they defy definition, so i just left it as a straight list.
Also i didn't include any more Douglas Coupland books in the list because they would have been above everything else. It would have become a Top 10 Douglas Coupland list ;-) Lets just say i love his stuff.
2. Less Than Zero by Brett Easton Ellis
3. Rant by Chuck Palahniuk
4. Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
5. The Stand by Stephen King
6. Dexter In The Dark by Jeff Lindsay
7. Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower Book 4) by Stephen King
8. Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein
9. American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
10. 1984 by George Orwell
For some unknown reason i hit a real mental block when it came to compiling this list. Part of it is because i tend to read a lot more non-fiction than fiction. The other part is that my fiction collection is back in the UK and i have probably forgotten some awesome stuff. Lastly i found it really hard to put into words why i liked these books, they defy definition, so i just left it as a straight list.
Also i didn't include any more Douglas Coupland books in the list because they would have been above everything else. It would have become a Top 10 Douglas Coupland list ;-) Lets just say i love his stuff.
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Top 10 Albums
1. The Postal Service - Give Up [2003]
There is just something undefinable about this album. I like Death Cab For Cutie and i like DNTEL, but combine the people behind them and the music is 10 times more awesome. Very mellow, great melodies and great lyrics. This is one of those albums you can recommend to anyone, from metalheads to ravers and there is a good chance they will like it. I just wish Gibbard and Tamborello would get their act together and release another album!
Stand Out Track: Such Great Heights
2. Tool - Lateralus [2001]
This is my go-to album for coming up with great creative ideas. I don't know what it is, but my brain just seems to work better when listening to it. I wasn't a big fan of Tool back when this came out, but after getting into A Perfect Circle it was the next logical step. It is also one of the few 'metal' albums with sufficient depth that it compares well to classical music. Next time you are stuck on a problem, put this record on and i bet you come up with an awesome solution.
Stand Out Track: The Grudge
3. Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky [2002]
The first and only Scottish band on my list (sorry Aereogramme). I still remember seeing them play in half-empty pubs in Glasgow. So it is kind of trippy to see their album for sale in Paris and hear them on the radio in Australia. This was their first and i would argue best album. A superb rock album, some mellower stuff, some seriously heavy stuff but all tied together with catchy riffs.
Stand Out Track: 57
4. Marylin Manson - Mechanical Animals [1998]
I'll start by saying i'm not a Marylin Manson fan other than this album. I can stand some of his other poppier stuff (Beautiful People, Tourniquet etc) but i wouldn't buy any of the other albums. Mechanical Animals on the other hand really breaks away from his normal style. It is much cleaner, less heavy and almost 70's glam. Maybe its just the memories of listening to it during an awesome holiday in the Canadian Rockies, but whenever i put this album on i feel better.
Stand Out Track: The Last Day On Earth
5. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape [1997]
I still remember the day i first heard Everlong on the radio. I had just pulled into the driveway and i had to sit in the car until it was done. I went out and bought The Colour and the Shape the day it was released and have loved it ever since. For me, this is the peak of the Foo Fighters. The first album was a little rough and everything that came after feels like a pale imitation. With tracks like Everlong, Monkey Wrench, Wind Up and My Hero you can't get better. Extra props for spelling 'colour' properly despite being american.
Stand Out Track: Everlong
6. Pendulum - Hold Your Colour [2005]
Simply the best electronic album i have heard. For a long time i was militantly 'rock' in my music tastes. I associated anything electronic with the terrible dance music they play in clubs. My attitude slowly started to change after The Postal Service and somehow i ended up getting a Drum 'n' Bass album. What differentiates this from most, is that while it has the incessant 'beat and repeat', it has great melodies and lyrics too. My one disappointment is the recent re-release dropped Still Grey and ruined one of the best album endings ever.
Stand Out Track: Hold Your Colour
7. Bush - The Science Of Things [1999]
After the Nirvana-esq 16 Stone and dire Razorblade Suitcase most people ignored The Science of Things. At Uni, this tour was the first gig i went to (i nearly blacked out due to dehydration) and the album really stuck with me. Written and recorded during their breakup, this album is like Gavin Rossdale's version of Gwen Stefani's The Return Of Saturn. It has much of the same cynicism about relationships but with a much darker and edgier tone.
Stand Out Track: The Chemicals Between Us
8. The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight [2004]
The Cardigans went through 3 distinct phases; The first two albums sounded pop but had cynical lyrics, Gran Turismo was well Gran Turismo and the last two albums are similar to the first two without the poppy sound. This is a great chillout album, it is very mellow, with some really great acoustic tracks. While it lacks the urgency of Gran Turismo, it is much more consistent and enjoyable. I also listened to this album a lot while reading Stephen King's Dark Tower books, so some good associations.
Stand Out Track: And Then You Kissed Me
9. Kenna - New Sacred Cow [2003]
The one and only album i have bought after a recommendation in a book. It was featured in Blink by Malcolm Gladwell as an example of something that experts love but the general public don't understand. With hindsight it was about 5 years ahead of its time and hearing it now, it wouldn't seem like anything that different. Again leaning slightly towards electronic, synth and new wave, it is an excellent album that again has many fond memories attached to it.
Stand Out Track: Freetime
10. REM - Automatic For The People [1992]
I accidentally bought this CD for my parents before we even had a CD player. One of the very few albums from my childhood that i still enjoy as much now as i did then. Almost every track could have been a single. Some are so interwoven into my mind that even after a good few years of not listening to it i still remember all the lyrics.
Stand Out Track: Try Not To Breathe
Honourable Mentions: Aereogramme - A Story In White , No Doubt - The Return of Saturn (i was tempted to sneak it in instead of Kenna, for full 1997 to 2005 annual coverage), Transformers The Movie [1986] OST, Pink Floyd - The Wall, Black Sabbath - Paranoid, Our Lady Peace - Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch, Billy Talent - Billy Talent, Orgy - Candyass, A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms, System of a Down - Mezmerize/Hypnotize and Wildtype.
NB The 'Stand Out Track' selections aren't necessarily my favourites, just a good song to decide if you will like the album or not.
There is just something undefinable about this album. I like Death Cab For Cutie and i like DNTEL, but combine the people behind them and the music is 10 times more awesome. Very mellow, great melodies and great lyrics. This is one of those albums you can recommend to anyone, from metalheads to ravers and there is a good chance they will like it. I just wish Gibbard and Tamborello would get their act together and release another album!
Stand Out Track: Such Great Heights
2. Tool - Lateralus [2001]
This is my go-to album for coming up with great creative ideas. I don't know what it is, but my brain just seems to work better when listening to it. I wasn't a big fan of Tool back when this came out, but after getting into A Perfect Circle it was the next logical step. It is also one of the few 'metal' albums with sufficient depth that it compares well to classical music. Next time you are stuck on a problem, put this record on and i bet you come up with an awesome solution.
Stand Out Track: The Grudge
3. Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky [2002]
The first and only Scottish band on my list (sorry Aereogramme). I still remember seeing them play in half-empty pubs in Glasgow. So it is kind of trippy to see their album for sale in Paris and hear them on the radio in Australia. This was their first and i would argue best album. A superb rock album, some mellower stuff, some seriously heavy stuff but all tied together with catchy riffs.
Stand Out Track: 57
4. Marylin Manson - Mechanical Animals [1998]
I'll start by saying i'm not a Marylin Manson fan other than this album. I can stand some of his other poppier stuff (Beautiful People, Tourniquet etc) but i wouldn't buy any of the other albums. Mechanical Animals on the other hand really breaks away from his normal style. It is much cleaner, less heavy and almost 70's glam. Maybe its just the memories of listening to it during an awesome holiday in the Canadian Rockies, but whenever i put this album on i feel better.
Stand Out Track: The Last Day On Earth
5. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape [1997]
I still remember the day i first heard Everlong on the radio. I had just pulled into the driveway and i had to sit in the car until it was done. I went out and bought The Colour and the Shape the day it was released and have loved it ever since. For me, this is the peak of the Foo Fighters. The first album was a little rough and everything that came after feels like a pale imitation. With tracks like Everlong, Monkey Wrench, Wind Up and My Hero you can't get better. Extra props for spelling 'colour' properly despite being american.
Stand Out Track: Everlong
6. Pendulum - Hold Your Colour [2005]
Simply the best electronic album i have heard. For a long time i was militantly 'rock' in my music tastes. I associated anything electronic with the terrible dance music they play in clubs. My attitude slowly started to change after The Postal Service and somehow i ended up getting a Drum 'n' Bass album. What differentiates this from most, is that while it has the incessant 'beat and repeat', it has great melodies and lyrics too. My one disappointment is the recent re-release dropped Still Grey and ruined one of the best album endings ever.
Stand Out Track: Hold Your Colour
7. Bush - The Science Of Things [1999]
After the Nirvana-esq 16 Stone and dire Razorblade Suitcase most people ignored The Science of Things. At Uni, this tour was the first gig i went to (i nearly blacked out due to dehydration) and the album really stuck with me. Written and recorded during their breakup, this album is like Gavin Rossdale's version of Gwen Stefani's The Return Of Saturn. It has much of the same cynicism about relationships but with a much darker and edgier tone.
Stand Out Track: The Chemicals Between Us
8. The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight [2004]
The Cardigans went through 3 distinct phases; The first two albums sounded pop but had cynical lyrics, Gran Turismo was well Gran Turismo and the last two albums are similar to the first two without the poppy sound. This is a great chillout album, it is very mellow, with some really great acoustic tracks. While it lacks the urgency of Gran Turismo, it is much more consistent and enjoyable. I also listened to this album a lot while reading Stephen King's Dark Tower books, so some good associations.
Stand Out Track: And Then You Kissed Me
9. Kenna - New Sacred Cow [2003]
The one and only album i have bought after a recommendation in a book. It was featured in Blink by Malcolm Gladwell as an example of something that experts love but the general public don't understand. With hindsight it was about 5 years ahead of its time and hearing it now, it wouldn't seem like anything that different. Again leaning slightly towards electronic, synth and new wave, it is an excellent album that again has many fond memories attached to it.
Stand Out Track: Freetime
10. REM - Automatic For The People [1992]
I accidentally bought this CD for my parents before we even had a CD player. One of the very few albums from my childhood that i still enjoy as much now as i did then. Almost every track could have been a single. Some are so interwoven into my mind that even after a good few years of not listening to it i still remember all the lyrics.
Stand Out Track: Try Not To Breathe
Honourable Mentions: Aereogramme - A Story In White , No Doubt - The Return of Saturn (i was tempted to sneak it in instead of Kenna, for full 1997 to 2005 annual coverage), Transformers The Movie [1986] OST, Pink Floyd - The Wall, Black Sabbath - Paranoid, Our Lady Peace - Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch, Billy Talent - Billy Talent, Orgy - Candyass, A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms, System of a Down - Mezmerize/Hypnotize and Wildtype.
NB The 'Stand Out Track' selections aren't necessarily my favourites, just a good song to decide if you will like the album or not.
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Top 10 Movies
1. Fight Club [1999]
I don't know whether it was because I expected it to be awful due to the adverts, (Brad Pitt + Soap seemed like a bit of a chick flick), but it was a total revelation when I saw it at the cinema. It is also one of the few films that are as good as the book they are based on. I suspect it is due to Chuck Palahniuk's involvement in the script, but the movie actually adds to the book and vice versa. The dark humour, the subversive theme, the amazing twist and the awesome ending, make it easily my favourite film.
2. Dark Knight [2008]
For me this is the ultimate comic book movie. Before it came out I was torn, Batman Begins had been an excellent reboot of the series, but Heath Ledgers death meant that the film was being hyped to the point of insanity. In the end it is one of the few movies that lived up to the pre-release hype, I left the cinema with goose bumps. Dark tone, amazing effects, superb villan, great story, what more can you ask for?
3. Leon (Canadian Cut) [1994]
Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Jean Reno at their best. While that should be enough for anyone, this film also has an excellent plot, moody cinematography, plenty of action and a superbly non-hollywood ending. The Canadian Cut is well worth tracking down for the extra 30 minutes, it fills in some gaps in Matilda's training and flows a lot better than the regular cut.
4. Chasing Amy [1996]
I knew I had to have a Kevin Smith film in my list and it was a hard choice. In the end I picked Chasing Amy because it is what all romantic comedies should be like. Forget the standard saccharine - 'everything will magically work out in the end' - nonsense peddled in most romantic comedies. This film is genuinely hilarious but also touching and romantic at points. Ok the plot isn't hugely realistic, but if you take it as an overstated metaphor for relationships it is very insightful.
5. Black Hawk Down [2001]
One of the few realistic war movies. Even Saving Private Ryan which was lorded for its brutally real opening, eventually devolved into a typically heroic war film. In Black Hawk Down the real horror of war is shown and unlike most american war films the morality of the situation is left to the viewer to decide. In the end no-one wins, lots of people loose and you have to wonder what was accomplished. One of my favourite moments at the cinema was seeing a girl - clearly expecting Josh Hartnett to be in another 'Pearl Harbour' style film - vomiting in the aisle.
6. Dirty Harry [1971]
The original action movie, copied by many that followed. Clint Eastwood at his best; "You have to ask yourself do I feel lucky? Well do ya punk?".
7. Serenity [2005]
Joss Whedon at his best, truly one of the great sci-fi movies. He manages to walk the tightrope of making a film for extremely loyal fans of the series and yet accessible to people who hadn't seen it. A perfect 15 minute opening that caught up people who hadn't seen Firefly and the rest of the film answered questions for fans of the prematurely cancelled series. I think it should have been the next big sci-fi franchise.
8. High Fidelity [2000]
This movie made me realise that in relationships, most people don't see themselves as the bad guy. It always seems to be the other persons fault and never yours. Of course given some time and introspection, a lot of it probably was your fault. Also a great reminder to be grateful for what you've got. Combine the above with a superb soundtrack, Jack Black at his least annoying, John Cusack at his most charming and you have a great film.
9. Transformers: The Movie [1986]
Classic movie from my youth, I watched it so much when I was a kid that I wore out the video. Unlike most other things from your childhood it still stands up now. Awesome soundtrack, good animation, good story, one of the most shocking deaths in any film (if you've seen it you'll know) and Orson Wells's last film. Truly puts the recent Transformers movies to shame.
10. Into The Wild [2007]
Beautifully shot, wonderful soundtrack, based on a real story. It really takes the romance out of the idea of dropping out of the rat race and living in the great outdoors ... which is a good thing.
Just finished writing all of these films up and some themes are emerging, see if you can spot them and drop me a comment.
Top 10 of other random stuff to follow.
I don't know whether it was because I expected it to be awful due to the adverts, (Brad Pitt + Soap seemed like a bit of a chick flick), but it was a total revelation when I saw it at the cinema. It is also one of the few films that are as good as the book they are based on. I suspect it is due to Chuck Palahniuk's involvement in the script, but the movie actually adds to the book and vice versa. The dark humour, the subversive theme, the amazing twist and the awesome ending, make it easily my favourite film.
2. Dark Knight [2008]
For me this is the ultimate comic book movie. Before it came out I was torn, Batman Begins had been an excellent reboot of the series, but Heath Ledgers death meant that the film was being hyped to the point of insanity. In the end it is one of the few movies that lived up to the pre-release hype, I left the cinema with goose bumps. Dark tone, amazing effects, superb villan, great story, what more can you ask for?
3. Leon (Canadian Cut) [1994]
Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Jean Reno at their best. While that should be enough for anyone, this film also has an excellent plot, moody cinematography, plenty of action and a superbly non-hollywood ending. The Canadian Cut is well worth tracking down for the extra 30 minutes, it fills in some gaps in Matilda's training and flows a lot better than the regular cut.
4. Chasing Amy [1996]
I knew I had to have a Kevin Smith film in my list and it was a hard choice. In the end I picked Chasing Amy because it is what all romantic comedies should be like. Forget the standard saccharine - 'everything will magically work out in the end' - nonsense peddled in most romantic comedies. This film is genuinely hilarious but also touching and romantic at points. Ok the plot isn't hugely realistic, but if you take it as an overstated metaphor for relationships it is very insightful.
5. Black Hawk Down [2001]
One of the few realistic war movies. Even Saving Private Ryan which was lorded for its brutally real opening, eventually devolved into a typically heroic war film. In Black Hawk Down the real horror of war is shown and unlike most american war films the morality of the situation is left to the viewer to decide. In the end no-one wins, lots of people loose and you have to wonder what was accomplished. One of my favourite moments at the cinema was seeing a girl - clearly expecting Josh Hartnett to be in another 'Pearl Harbour' style film - vomiting in the aisle.
6. Dirty Harry [1971]
The original action movie, copied by many that followed. Clint Eastwood at his best; "You have to ask yourself do I feel lucky? Well do ya punk?".
7. Serenity [2005]
Joss Whedon at his best, truly one of the great sci-fi movies. He manages to walk the tightrope of making a film for extremely loyal fans of the series and yet accessible to people who hadn't seen it. A perfect 15 minute opening that caught up people who hadn't seen Firefly and the rest of the film answered questions for fans of the prematurely cancelled series. I think it should have been the next big sci-fi franchise.
8. High Fidelity [2000]
This movie made me realise that in relationships, most people don't see themselves as the bad guy. It always seems to be the other persons fault and never yours. Of course given some time and introspection, a lot of it probably was your fault. Also a great reminder to be grateful for what you've got. Combine the above with a superb soundtrack, Jack Black at his least annoying, John Cusack at his most charming and you have a great film.
9. Transformers: The Movie [1986]
Classic movie from my youth, I watched it so much when I was a kid that I wore out the video. Unlike most other things from your childhood it still stands up now. Awesome soundtrack, good animation, good story, one of the most shocking deaths in any film (if you've seen it you'll know) and Orson Wells's last film. Truly puts the recent Transformers movies to shame.
10. Into The Wild [2007]
Beautifully shot, wonderful soundtrack, based on a real story. It really takes the romance out of the idea of dropping out of the rat race and living in the great outdoors ... which is a good thing.
Just finished writing all of these films up and some themes are emerging, see if you can spot them and drop me a comment.
Top 10 of other random stuff to follow.
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