Movie-Q and Pancho

Please Give Me Movie Recommendations!!!!

Movies:
1. Hero 2004: $9
I really enjoyed this film. The fight scenes were all very beautiful as were the visuals throughout. The Director, Zhang Yimou, uses a storytelling device very similar to that used by the great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa, in his movie Rashomon(1950). A triangle effect: The professed, The deduced, and "The Truth" (here I thought I was sooo smart about recognizing Rashomon in this movie and there, on the front page of it's IMDB is the same thing... such is life). Highly recommend Zhang Yimou, Hero, Kurosawa, Rashomon (hell, anything by Kurosawa, you won't be disappointed but rather stunned)
2. Citizen Ruth 1996: $7.50
The same writers/director of this are getting much acclaim for their newest film, Sideways. While I don't believe Sideways merits all it's getting, I don't think this one has recieved it's due. Truthfully, I don't know what people have said about it. It makes you wince more than once; since watching it, I've become suspicious of everyone's motives for everything. I liked it.
3. The Elephant Man 1980: $9
This is just a great movie. This isn't Quasimodo(sp?), she gave him more than water... how 'bout a kiss? Most likely you've already seen it, as I had. My only shoulder turning question is, how was he not psycologically crippled from all the abuse he'd recieved in his life? I know he retreated into his head, but...
4. Talk To Her 2002: $8
Visually, the colors explode and many of the shots could be photographs. Storywise, it is creative, unusual, and unpredictable (not everything, it let's you figure some stuff out). Language and acting, Spanish sure can be seductive, can't it? French, too... Italian, Eastern Bloc, even English... ok, ok, ok... the characters were all truely characters. There is a 'whoa facter' here as well. Give this one a chance, a good one.
5. The Incredibles 2004: $6
ok, I'm gonna have a hard time with this one as I participated in a really dumbass screwup. Ok, so I'm gonna go see the Sunday matinee of this animated movie everyone and their little inbred cousins has been raving about. Pixar does put out good movies, well crafted stories and characters... done with absolute cutting edge CGI graphics. 3:15 is the show. So I do all the damn dishes, scrub the stubborn mold on the walls of the closet, eat, fiddle, tidy, listen to music... basically wilying awat time in a figity manner. I walk downtown, late, as usual, and go into the wrong theater and then run out and snake through streets, into another building that, for all I know, only has 3 seperate escalators up to the 3rd floor theater. Those 3 escalators, as everytime I've ever seen them, are clumped full of stationary, lumpy people. For the love of Christ, when riding an escalator MOVE YOUR FEET UP THE STEPS EVEN THOUGH THE STEPS ARE MOVING (if you don't want to walk up the escalator, at least let other pass, please!). ok ok ok. Long story, I saw the end first. It was fine, but I wish I hadn'ta messed up the situation like I did. Oh well.
6. The Manchurian Candidate (1962): $8.50
I was told the new version of this movie was halfway decent, wasn't particularly moved to see it, checked the library, and put this, the original, on hold. This is a cool movie. I want to say a little something about it, but don't want to give anything away. It a classice for good reason, just like Citizen Kane
7. The Last Samurai 2003: $3
This movie is a waste of time outside of wondering how the true story actually was. Watch any movie from the previously mentioned Akira Kurosawa instead

TV Shows on video:
1. Curb Your Enthusiasm, 2nd season
Holy crap is this funny. I liked Sienfeld the TV show a lot, but this may be funnier. Larry David co-created with Jerry S the Sienfeld show... Larry David is most closely the real life inspiration behind the character George. This is similar humor to Sienfeld only more painful to the viewer. It can just plain ache at times. I know, that doesn't sound pleasant, but it truely is a joy. The 1st season is waiting for me at the library as we speak... hot damn!
2. The Office, 1st & 2nd seasons (haven’t seen the Christmas special)
Holy crap this is funny. You have to watch the 1st season first, follows chronologically, not every second but generally. Please watch this show, it is British and is beat your head against a wall over and over funny. The only show that could be funnier is Curb Your Enthusiasm.
3. Twin Peaks, episodes 1-8 & continuing
Think I was too young to give the slightest damn about the mania that surrounded this program when it was on the air. On a whim I got the 1st 5episodes from the library, and wham!, I'm definitely entertained. Entertained enough then proceed to get episodes 6-9 but am currently taking a break. Telivision screeen burnout. I guess computer, too, but that doesn't count.
*Does it seem like I Everything I see? Not so.

Books:
1. The Mind of Wallstreet, by Leon Levy
You just havta love the stock market! ok, maybe not, but I do. I believe that my opportunities to make or lose money in the stock market are fundamentally based in psycological factors, mine and the markets. This book shows that there is more complexity than that. There are some interesting people that have been affiliated with stock markets. I found Leon Levy to be quite a character and very incitefull. It also amazes me that people can write so much about markets and make so much sense
2. Chronicles, Vol 1, by Bob Dylan
Like him or not, READ THIS BOOK. A+ pleasant surprise.