I really like your blog. You should be writing more articles and reviews on this site.

Good stuff. Love the Purple Rain. Hope the sound was as kickin' as my friend claims. Curious, did you like Zulu? How did the crowd take to it?

You're probably my favorite writer on the sight Andre and I'm not a frequenter of the boards.

Zulu was not all that crowded, but the crowd who saw it loved it. I'd seen Zulu before a while back on laserdisc, and liked it, but that was about ten to fifteen years ago. I forgot how awesome Michael Caine is in it, and – as Dante says – the last hour is like pure action. Great stuff. The fest has been bliss so far. And Purple Rain sounds awesome. Though I had the DVD, and the upgrade is just picture and sound. I guess I'm a convert, or something, though more than half the titles I've purchased I haven't watched and am in no hurry to.

A while back I laughed at you for drafting TRUCK TURNER. Last week, finally watched it. All apologies. A new fave blackspoitation. ("When Turner whips out a six pack, I lost my god damned mind" is right!!)

Question: What's more appropriate on the dance floor, doin' the Bird or the Jerk Out?

{Something About Schindler's List} I think of it as a homily. The subject matter was something most people prefer to ignore, pretend never happened, sweep completely under the rug. The Spielberg name brand/star power brought the people in. He couldn't pass up this opportunity to enlighten + teach. He didn't. When you're fighting anti-semitism/holocaust denial you gotta throw a hard punch, rattle thick skulls, touch the emotions of the masses. (ironicly, like a jewish passion play, exaggerated emotional beats get the audience not just thinking, but feeling. An overly criticized tool of cinema)As asked before, does the message trump the art? I think so. Spielberg flirts with overt sentimentality, heavy-handed moralizing, & villianous caricature. But master that he is, he never lets the film be overwhelmed, or drift into the hackneyed. I can't really argue with the points you & Devin made.You made your points well. I just wanted to express my conviction on "Schindler's" importance.

There's no denying the importance. That has to be in the balance, but importance to me is sort of like weighing the effects of Roman Polanski raping a 12 year old on Chinatown. Or for that matter surviving the holocaust, or his wife being killed by Charles Manson. It's not the art. But it all ties into how one appreciates art. The craft of Triumph of the Will is breathtaking, what it says is truly terrible. There's reasons to see both sides of it. From my perspective. I don't think I will shake anyone's feelings about SL, and that was never my intention, but – at the same time – what I love about this list is that it may make people think critically about things they take for granted. If what I said affirms how you feel about the film, makes you love it all over again, hell that's even better. Same with anything I've written about. I think the point of criticism is to make a viewer think more about what they like and why they like it. There's much to get out of great art, and there's sometimes a lot to get out of bad art. The job of a critic, besides prodding people in the right direction, is to have opinions to bounce of off. Also, The Bird.

Great answer. It's funny when people get pissed off for being challenged. There seems to be an irrational need for many people to stay in their comfort zones; a fear of facing their bad taste. A true film connoisseur is all about the journey. (i.e. Going from a reactionary, Public Enemy lovin', Hip-Hop head who says fuck John Wayne (& Elvis), to respecting, even revering, the man and his work.) Discovering a new great film is like a religous experience. You just have to willing to explore + have an open heart. I don't see that a lot in my generation (not just film, politics). It saddens, and worries me. (I used to be all about horror. The western was an old man genre. Would roll eyes and stomp out whenever dear ol' dad started talking about the Duke or Coop. Now I can't imagine not knowing or loving The Searchers, Man of the West, or The Wild Bunch.)

Also, as a Prince fan check out "Sign 'o' the Times". It's been a while, but I remember it as a fantastic concert film.

<Icon 80's image #2> Madonna. White dress. Sweaty. Writhing on the floor with orgasmic fury.( Hello, puberty!)

<Iconic 80's image # 3> Rock museum. Larry 'Bud' Melman. Angry glares. Black leather. Fedora hats. Tough scowl. Adidas. Gold chains. Glasses. Loud guitar. In your face aggression. The Rhythm. The Rhyme. The new kings arrived, and a generation changed. (Hello, Hip-Hop obsession 4 life!)

("When am I going to want to throw on the Wild Bunch?") How bout baby showers, wedding receptions & Sunday school picnics?

Well, I finished The Prestige last night, and shortly I hope to throw on both Halloween and finish The Fountain, which I got into last night. So maybe next weekend I'll get into TWB. Then again, my latest Amazon shipment with Evil Dead 2, Day of the Dead, Black Hawk Down and The Searchers should be here this week. That'll slow me down some. #4: I WANNA ROCK!

Did the Prestige hold up? Also, I need to revisit the Fountain again. I was conflicted the first time. With recent death in the family, I don't know if that'll help or hurt. <in light of the recent Beatty discussion, I thought I'd share a funny fact. Was watching the comedy-spy-thriller "Hopscotch" today, and the director said Beatty was originally set to star. After he pulled out, they retooled into a Walter Matthau vehicle. That's got to one of the most extremlely unusual casting changes ever!>

(Iconic 80's Image #5) Spunky red-head. Objectivist hero. Crazy father. Anthemic call to arms. Female Empowerment. Dancing in the streets. Outragous clothes. Unusual. Riot Grrrl. Fun.

<80's Iconic Image # 6> Flash cars. Hairy men. Hot chicks in leather. A simple man. Girl next door. Tough boss. Class struggle. Tits & ass. Sex as a weapon. Happy endings.