and i call you and say, “come here!”

This is really shocking to me, but I’ve only seen about 1/4 of the top 100 American movies. I’ll admit, in general, I have no interest in the classics, and I BARELY made it through Citizen Kane, just to try to understand what in the world all the fuss was about. Anyway, I’ve highlighted the movies I’ve viewed below. Happily, one of my enduring favorites, Annie Hall, made the list. It’s perhaps the best romcom ever.

As you read the list, keep a mental tally of the ones you’ve seen and leave it in a comment. That’ll be fun.

The American Film Institute’s 2007 list of the top-100 American movies:

1. Citizen Kane, 1941.

2. The Godfather, 1972.

3. Casablanca, 1942.

4. Raging Bull, 1980.

5. Singin’ in the Rain, 1952.

6. Gone With the Wind, 1939.

7. Lawrence of Arabia, 1962.

8. Schindler’s List, 1993.

9. Vertigo, 1958.

10. The Wizard of Oz, 1939.

11. City Lights, 1931.

12. The Searchers, 1956.

13. Star Wars, 1977.

14. Psycho, 1960.

15. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968.

16. Sunset Blvd. , 1950.

17. The Graduate, 1967.

18. The General, 1927.

19. On the Waterfront, 1954.

20. It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946.

21. Chinatown, 1974.

22. Some Like It Hot, 1959.

23. The Grapes of Wrath, 1940.

24. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982.

25. To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962.

26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939.

27. High Noon, 1952.

28. All About Eve, 1950.

29. Double Indemnity, 1944.

30. Apocalypse Now, 1979.

31. The Maltese Falcon, 1941.

32. The Godfather Part II, 1974.

33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975.

34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937.

35. Annie Hall, 1977.

36. The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957.

37. The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946.

38. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 1948.

39. Dr. Strangelove, 1964.

40. The Sound of Music, 1965.

41. King Kong, 1933.

42. Bonnie and Clyde, 1967.

43. Midnight Cowboy, 1969.

44. The Philadelphia Story, 1940.

45. Shane, 1953.

46. It Happened One Night, 1934.

47. A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951.

48. Rear Window, 1954.

49. Intolerance, 1916.

50. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001.

51. West Side Story, 1961.

52. Taxi Driver, 1976.

53. The Deer Hunter, 1978.

54. M-A-S-H, 1970.

55. North by Northwest, 1959.

56. Jaws, 1975.

57. Rocky, 1976.

58. The Gold Rush, 1925.

59. Nashville, 1975.

60. Duck Soup, 1933.

61. Sullivan’s Travels, 1941.

62. American Graffiti, 1973.

63. Cabaret, 1972.

64. Network, 1976.

65. The African Queen, 1951.

66. Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981.

67. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , 1966.

68. Unforgiven, 1992.

69. Tootsie, 1982.

70. A Clockwork Orange, 1971.

71. Saving Private Ryan, 1998.

72. The Shawshank Redemption, 1994.

73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969.

74. The Silence of the Lambs, 1991.

75. In the Heat of the Night, 1967.

76. Forrest Gump, 1994.

77. All the President’s Men, 1976.

78. Modern Times, 1936.

79. The Wild Bunch, 1969.

80. The Apartment, 1960.

81. Spartacus, 1960.

82. Sunrise, 1927.

83. Titanic, 1997.

84. Easy Rider, 1969.

85. A Night at the Opera, 1935.

86. Platoon, 1986.

87. 12 Angry Men, 1957.

88. Bringing Up Baby, 1938.

89. The Sixth Sense, 1999.

90. Swing Time, 1936.

91. Sophie’s Choice, 1982.

92. Goodfellas, 1990.

93. The French Connection, 1971.

94. Pulp Fiction, 1994.

95. The Last Picture Show, 1971.

96. Do the Right Thing, 1989.

97. Blade Runner, 1982.

98. Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

99. Toy Story, 1995.

100. Ben-Hur, 1959.

if you need some time, i don’t mind

"I think the best people I’ve ever met are people full of defects, and the worst people I’ve ever met are people obsessed with being perfect," Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro said.

Also, something else he said gives me comfort, makes me feel less crazy:

"I’ve spent the rest of my life recuperating from my first ten years," del Toro said. "It’s a brutal time of learning, and I think that I tried to bring the violence that I felt — moral, spiritual, and even physical — into the movies."

Read the article here. See the movie, too!

i only wanna make things right

Let’s admit it. A few bright spots exist here and there (Top 25 favorite CDs of 2006 list to come shortly!), but overall, there’s a lack of truly great, mind-blowing, soul-obsessing music in 2006; the Grammy nods didn’t event warrant a post here. Yawn.

Triple yawn.

But on the film/tv side of things, it looks like this might actually be the start of an exciting awards season.  But I’ll say it now: If Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt do not win for "The Devil Wears Prada," there is something wrong in this world.

sitting in the backseat of your car, i never wanted out

A few New Orleans tidbits:

My buddy Jarred turned into a restauranteur in post-Katrina New Orleans and opened a fun new place where Quarter Scene used to be. Check out this article on eat New Orleans and stop in for lunch or dinner when you swing through the Crescent City. Yummmie!!!

Also, my former editor and lady-lovin’ pal, Melinda Shelton, is one of a few peeps puttin’ on DecaFest in the Big Easy in a few short weeks. Designed to bring a little culture to the fun filth of Southern Decadence, DecaFest will feature a lot of activities geared toward those who might want to take a walking tour, attend a homo book reading, or watch a play or a film before they get snot-slinging drunk!

There’s a lot going on down there, so if you plan to be in town for Southern Decadence, check out one of their events and then you can say you were there first!

One of the book signings/readings will be for "Love, Bourbon Street," a collection of GLBT essays by New Orleans’ writers and friends. Check it out…Even a few adventures by yours truly make an appearance in one of the pieces. Egggads!

as clumsy as you’ve been, there’s no one laughing

This is good news for a Monday! I’m looking forward to catching this on Wednesday evening with the BF and his sis.

There’s an interesting chat with Fiona here.

Seeing this review reminds me that I think I have every single one of this author’s books, but have read none of them. Oh, the guilt! I just don’t have as much time to read anymore, but I still love going book shopping and thinking of what it will be like to finally read whatever book I’m buying — though I have tried to cut down on that kind of wasteful spending lately. Living in a studio apt., I just don’t have the space for a bunch of books. (They usually end up in the storage units anyway.)

That said, at lunch today I do want to get this book for my beach trip next week. As a fan of Dykes to Watch Out For, I interviewed Alison B. several years ago… one of the best experiences I’ve ever had — she’s so easy to talk to, and so smart and real. Basically, she’s everything you want to be when you grow up. I can’t wait to get her new book! Hell, since I’m at the beach for a week, maybe I’ll bring one of Haruki’s books, too, though I still really want to read this book by Cintra Wilson, which I bought to read on last year’s annual beach trip with my boys.

Who am I foolin’? Sadly, no one, not even myself.

now you’re out there swimming in the deep

More about this later, but for now, talk amongst yourselves. What’s the biggest inclusion or omission? Leave a comment.

I, for one, am thrilled that Bird York got nominated for her song from "Crash" and that that film has finally gotten some top-notch recognition. I’m disappointed that "Proof" got nothing. Bummer.

you write a little note that you leave on the bed and spend some time dissecting every word he said

I didn’t keep a running list of my favorite movies this year but when I brainstormed my top 10 favorite films of the year, these were top of mind. I suspect "Match Point" would be in the top 5 of this list, but I doubt I’ll see it until 2006. P.S. "Capote" left me cold.

In order:

10. Melinda and Melinda // Mysterious and funny, Woody Allen tries something new. That said, we all feel like we’ve been here before, though it’s fun to see these performances by Chloe Sevigny, Jonny Lee Miller, and Amanda Peet.

9. The End of Violence // Mario Bello’s greasy hair is fun to watch, as are the hyper-real scenes of sex and violence.

8. Brokeback Mountain // I didn’t buy Jake as he aged, and Anne Hathaway was not good at playing a grown-up, but my heart broke for Michelle Williams. She’s one of those actresses that kills you with just a facial expression. I only know her film work, but my culture vulture BF reports that she was also on a little show called "Dawson’s Creek." Who knew? For her best work, check out "Me Without You" on DVD.

7. Batman Begins // Is there anything Christian Bale can’t pull off?

6. Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic // Saw this two days in a row and am still thinking about it on a daily basis. How many stand-up routines make you do that?

5. Crash // Saw this three times in the theater, expecting to like it less each time I did. Instead, I found that it resonated more and seemed more powerful with each viewing. I think Sandy Bullock should get a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her five minutes of screen time. (If Kidman could nab Best Actress for 15 minutes of screen time for "The Hours," it seems possible, right?) Each scene she’s in crackles with an anger I didn’t think she could convey.  Speaking of anger…

4. Upside of Anger // I love slow-moving ensembles like this…full of smart writing, hot performances and a neat twist. If Joan Allen doesn’t win Best Actress for her work here, there’s no justice.

3. Heights // Glen Close proves that she’s a chameleon in this short inter-locking tale of a day in the life of some Manhattanites. Great lines, real characters, and sharp turns. Films adapted from stage plays are a tough sell, which makes "Heights" an even taller triumph.

Coincidentally, the next film on my list is provides more "proof" that stage works can effectively translate to the screen. ("Rent," notwithstanding.)

2. Proof // Emotionally, this film shattered me more than any other on the list and until a few weeks ago, I thought it would be my number one film of the year. I saw this movie three times in one week during a "blackout period" with a guy I was dating. Maybe a case of "right movie, right time" but it seemed to be asking me, "How can you trust someone (or a situation) if you have no proof that they are trustworthy? Can you become or create something different than your family even if you have no proof that it’s possible? If you look me in the eye and ask me a question and I answer it, is that enough proof for you? HOW DO YOU TRUST WITHOUT PROOF?" The casting was stunningly on target. Jake and Gwenyth had the perfect chemistry, Hope Davis finally plays the pretty girl, and only Anthony Hopkins could have been believable as the larger-than-life dad whose death after a long mental illness sets the story in motion.

1. King Kong // Perhaps I enjoyed this movie so much because my expectations were so low. I didn’t think I would care one iota. The fact that I did, and that my eyes rarely left the screen for over three hours, and I didn’t even pee once, earns this film the top slot on  my list. It was an absolutely exhilerating moviegoing experience that made me think — for the first time in I don’t know when — only $8???

casual match in a very dry field, what will be the season’s yield?

I’m super happy the Woodman has been getting raves for Match Point, but adoring "journalism" on any subject   – like this piece in USA Today — is pretty hard to stomach.

she ran calling wildfire

Hilarious article about "Brokeback Mountain," by one of my favorite homos, Dave White. Check it out, then e-mail it to all of your friends. You’ll be glad you did.

and this “we are one” crap as you’re invading

"In the end, it’s about how fucking hard it is to love somebody, to really be intimate, to really let go and be open to that, no matter what the context." — Jake Gyllenhaal, on "Brokeback Mountain."

i’ve got a hunger, twisting my stomach into knots

When you think big, generous, loving, and courageous, you are much more aligned with the universe and truth than when you are afraid. — Alan Cohen

What follows is a non sequitur because this is a random post about whatever comes out of these little fingers today.

Let’s take Halloween. I’m pretty much never into Halloween, but this year I was even *more* not into Halloween, if possible. Halloween falls into the New Year’s Eve category of holidays — a lot of fuss for a little pay off. About every 5 years I can get riled up about going to a party or choosing a costume, but this *definitely* wasn’t the year — though I did stop by a few parties in my building. Even Mardi Gras, where my friends Sarah and Elise bring dressing up in costume to new levels, failed to inspire for the most part. I need someone to organize everything, tell me what I’m going to be, get the costume ready and practically put me in it in order for me to show up to an event not dressed as myself. It’s strange though, because when I have made the effort, or let an effort be made over me, I’ve had the most memorable of times. And maybe *that* is why people love Halloween? I’m sure next year will be time again to think about costumes and all that hooha, but this year I was able to slide under the Halloween radar.

Saw Capote yesterday. Ho-Hum. Everyone has opinions and mine is that movies like this are just RUINED by their media coverage and reviews. I’m really getting fed up with critical reviews and writing about movies, music, books….It’s really like, who cares? Tell me about it, but don’t tell me what to *think* about it. I can’t even suffer through an issue of Ken Tucker, Lisa S and Owen G, in Entertainment Weekly. I can’t even log on to Salon.com anymore because Stephanie Z drives up the wall and down the other side. Don’t get me wrong, I like thoughtful and personal examinations of someone’s take on a piece of art. (Heather H.’s salon.com piece on the Six Feet Under finale was perfect.) But all too often there’s no heart in this kind of writing. I know, it’s HARD WORK to not just try to show how smart you are and how many other movies you’ve seen and how superior you are to the artists. Sometimes I feel like the people writing the reviews don’t even LIKE movies, books, tv, etc.

That’s why, no matter his faults, Roger Ebert’s reviews remain readable to me; he never acts like he’s above what he’s reviewing. So when someone says a movie’s gotten great reviews or bad reviews (I do this too!), I try to remind myself: The people we are assigning all this power to could have been in a bad mood or a good mood when they saw the movie or wrote the review. They are just people who eat, talk and poop and have relationships. They are sitting in some cubicle hammering out their copy and trying to feel good about themselves and think they are doing really important work that means something in the grand scheme of things and they are probably not working on their own art and they are probably really tired of doing it and want to stop but they’ve worked so hard just to get HERE and it really is a cool job, so even though they are insufferable blowhards, they have to put food on the table and keep subjecting the masses to their insufferable thoughts. See what a decade of reading Entertainment Weekly will do?

Gawd, where did that come from? From one insufferable blowhard with bad opinions to another, I’m glad I got that out.

Saw the Death Cab for Cutie / Stars show last night and it was incredible. Ben Gibbard’s voice is awesome and the band really rocked. They also seemed to be having a really good time up there, AND the crowd was most respectful. I was surprised how many people knew all the words to these songs. I felt I like I was watching Gen Y’s R.E.M. being born. I saw them a while back at Variety with Rilo Kiley, but I think this show had more soul to it. I called SoHoSuz from the pit because she’s been so into their new CD, “Plans,” she’s left me many a cute early morning voice mail about it. Meanwhile, that Ben Gibbard can SWEAT.

casual match in a very dry field

Ooooh, I about fell out of my chair when this trailer for "Match Point" came on before "In Her Shoes."  I canNOT wait for Christmas Day now.

It’s exciting to think of Woody Allen doing something a little fresh and different — though part of me thinks that it’s just the marketing geniuses at DreamWorks making it seem like an updated "Fatal Attraction" to lure in the young hipsters and make them rediscover "Annie Hall."

Still, I am holding out hope that he is challenging himself with "Match Point" and doing something a bit more contemporary. I mean, "Melinda & Melinda" was the best thing Woody Allen did in over a decade, but it was totally typical Woodman. ("May I speak frankly?" Geeesh! No, you may not Chloe Sevigny!) Time to change things up a bit!

and i’m not really sure what this is all about as we watch the waves crashing in and out

Had two amazing art-related experiences the last few days.

A) The Athlete show at the Loft on Thursday night. Hands down the best concert I’ve ever been to in my life, and if you know me, you know that my ass has been at a lot of live music concerts. What made it so special? I really can’t pinpoint it, but first of all, they played the PERFECT set list for the PERFECT amount of time…not too long, not too short… the venue was intimate and the crowd was totally into it, but not annoying….the music itself was transcendent. Plenty of songs made me think of BN, and everything wonderful that is happening with us, and the others made me think of A and S — odd because I don’t know S at all — but still, I did think of them. I get chills just remembering the whole thing and I keep replaying the show in my mind…. Being there with Wheelie was fun too because we share a love of this kind of music. Perhaps I resonated so strongly with it because it felt both emotional and fun — and those are qualities I’m managing to keep alive in my daily life these days. It’s easy to fall into one or the other, and I’ve experienced burn out in both realms over the years, but, lately, I think the trick to having a great life is keeping those two elements fully expressed but balanced.

B) I saw “In Her Shoes.” I was so glad I don’t review movies any more and was overjoyed i could just sit back and let it wash over me without trying to analyze it or take notes. I literally had a tear running down my face for a solid hour after the first 15 minutes or so… I just wholly identified immediately with both Maggie and Rose at the same time, like I knew who these people were at their core. I felt like a mirror cracked in half and they reflected two different parts of me. It was sort of like in “Passion of Mind” when you realize all of the characters are really different parts of Demi Moore. The acting, directing, screenwriting were nearly perfect — not flashy at all, but totally on the mark. Curtis Hanson is the Nicole Kidman of directors. Like “Proof,” I can’t wait to see it again.

In other exciting news, Biscuit and I had a long talk tonight about starting to work in earnest on the new CD when we’re both back in town at the end of the month. We rehashed the parts of “Forever’s Not As Long…” that we thought worked and how we’d like to do things this time around. The first hurdle is choosing the songs….I have a running track list, but it’s hard because I know at least two songs will come while we’re working on it. Still, I’m excited to have a broader range of song subjects on this new record….I want everything to breathe a bit more. As usual, Biscuit was thinking the same thing….now we just need to find the right drummer.