Podcast episode #27 had a Ten In A Half, and the Giggaheim Podcast crew decided to try to assemble the Top Ten Movie Cars. The list was sprung on the crew last minute, and they scrambled to figure out which cars had the best looks, the longest lasting impression, which ones were an icon, and which cars would last in our minds longer than the movies they were in.
10) Milner’s Douce Coup – This canary yellow coup was the drag racing king in George Lucas’ American Graphitti. The car’s throaty engine and funny car design is an icon of the early 1960’s and the Hot Rod age.
9) The Hannible Twin 8 – The cartoony yet effective car that crossed the globe in the Great Race. It has a heated cone in front to brave the snow, rising carriage to ride through floods, and a cannon to defeat the Great Leslie. This car embodies the impressive engineering of the early 1900’s, and the loony comedy of the movie it is in.
8) Bullitt Mustang – This is the American cool car. There are Trans Ams, Challengers, and Corvettes, but the Bullitt Mustang with Steve McQueen behind the wheel is the same as apple pie. When this Shelby Fastback tears through the streets of San Francisco it makes secret cells of Muslims sign up for the Marines. (Why do you think it is on AMC so often?)
7) Bandit’s Trans Am – The 1977 black Trans Am inspire many of us to don a cowboy hat, and tear ass on the backroads of Georgia. Once you drive south, you want a t-topped V-8 to challenge the po-lice thanks to this 1977 comedy’s exciting chase scenes.
6) Blues Mobile – It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it’s got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas.
Fix the Lighter
5) Ecto-1 – Speaking of icons of film, one of the movies we all grew up with was Ghostbusters, and the ambulance that would scream into the night to fight ghosts. Whenever this crazy ambulance with the vast array of machinery mounted on top passes by, or is on TV, we all smile
4) Herbie – This love bug starred in the movie of the same name: Herbie by Disney. The famous story of the Disney crew that needed to select the car that would embody the lovable smart car was brutal to the menagerie of cars that were put before them. They slammed doors and kicked tires but when the VW bug rolled into the studio, they pet it and called it “cute”. Nuff said.
3) Batmobile (1990) – To make it to the top, your car has to be iconic, and people should associate what that car is with what movie it came from. And in 1990, when this batmobile rolled onto the screen, the world was captivated. No flashy icons, or neon was needed. A sleek black car with as many gadgets as its owner. The Batmobile.
2) Delorean – Anoother 1980’s movie with an iconic car was Back to the Future. The car was the time machine, and why not? It was Stainless Steel! But stand back, once it hit 88 miles pr hour, you’d see some serious shit.
1) DB5 – 007 wouldn’t be the idolized spy without this sweet ride. The Aston Martin DB5 is iconic and associated with vodka martinis that are shaken not stirred, and dudes with a british accent that is licensed to kill.
Got a special car that didn’t make the list? Comment below!
Yes, I finally saw the film a few days ago, and have just gotten around to writing down my thoughts. If you have heard a few episodes of the podcast, you know that I thought I was too old for the book. I had reached a certain point where I didn’t really care about a slacker’s crush on a girl, or how “revolutionary” it’s storytelling style was by incorporating video games. I liked the story devices, and thought the art style and panels were a clever storytelling technique, but I just didn’t take to it.
Upon hearing the news of there being a Scott Pilgrim movie, I didn’t much care. I was glad another comic book property that other readers enjoyed would be making its way to theaters, but past that nothing. And then I learned Edgar Wright would be directing. Game on. I am a huge Edgar Wright fan. I own all his directorial projects with exception to some of the guest directing TV shows he did for BBC. And after thumbing though the book again, I knew that would be a perfect match. The swift transitions and quirky humor that defined Spaced would be well-honed technique for this movie.
And it served well. The quick edits and fast jokes keep the movie from getting too serious, and help viewers stay immersed in the world that Brian Lee O’Malley wrote and illustrated. The graphic insertiosn like the character bios and other effects help define the movie as “Scoot Pilgrim”, and were a contributing factor to this movie’s ability to be entertaining on repeat viewings. Michael Cera was a point of contention for some fans and I can sympathize to a degree. The guy hasn’t been able to stretch his range, so he seems to be playing the same guy over and over. However, his delivery and timing are spot on. While he wasn’t the Scott Pilgrim from the comics, he was a more enjoyable one to me. What turned me off about the main character was his slacker ways, and his ignorance. The movie cuts much of that (probably for time and pace) and between the smart edits and Cera’s performance Scott became a character I could become interested in.
The cast itself is loaded with talent: Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Anna Kendrick, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, and Jason Schwartzman. Two members that’ stole the show were Kieran McCulkin for his role as Wallace Wells (gay roommate) and Ellen Wong for her portrayal of Knives Chau. She was exactly as I had read her. Cute, heart crushing, and spunky. McCulkin delivered brilliant moments every time he was on screen. Classic performances that made the movie a gem to watch. Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s performance as Romona Flowers was exactly as I had read her too. Perfect casting, with great acting to follow up with true portrayals of the characters that readers are familiar with. There are several cameos that stand out, but for the sake of those who haven’t watched the film yet, I will leave the better one anonymous.
So was it good? Yes. And even as a reader that felt “too old” to appreciate the books, I loved watching it. It didn’t seem like the drippy adventures of a lazy man-boy, but a young guy on a Street-fighter-inspired quest to conquer a girl’s heart. My wife and I are still hitting each other up with quotes, and laughing at scenes that happened in the movie (Window diving). It was funny, fast-paced, energetic, emotional, and just plain fun. It ranks high on my Summer Movies of 2010 list, and I would bet dollars to donuts that it will be a permanent fixture on the turner networks. A year from now you will be able to turn on TBS or TNT and this will be playing.
Peter Schmeiser – Giggaheim Director
The Giggaheim Podcast Episode 22 had another round of its new game show, Ten In a Half. This time it was Top Ten Action Movie Stars, since the podcast crew is collectively drooling for the upcoming testosterone-filled blockbuster starring every cool action hero on planet Earth: The Expendibles.
Now Action movies have a special place in the family memories. My father and I would watch Untouchables, Die Hard, Hunt for Red October, Highlander, Predator, Indiana Jones, and more every week-night we didn’t have something else going on. So, I knew which stars made my list, and the podcast crew fought to the bitter end to create a list for you.
10) Errol Fylnn – The founder of the feast, the Keystone, and many people’s onscreen Robin Hood. Errol Flynn is synonymous with action movies since he made them a mainstay in your local movie house. With 62 movies to his credit, Errol Flynn’s natural athletic talent and dashing looks made him a prime leading man for Warner Brothers Studios where he quickly became the king of swashbuckling films like Captain Blood and Robin Hood. Hell, this guy is the reason we say “In like Flynn”.
9) Sean Connery - This actor was actually knighted for his onscreen work (that’s “Sir” to you peasants), and with a 90-film resume, he’s earned it. Sir Sean Connery has captured roles and made them his. When people think James Bond, they think Sean Connery. His depth in roles from sword wielding immortal, to unbeatable submarine captain, to secret agent make him a sure #9.
8) Charles Bronson – With a surprisingly long filmography (162 films) Charles Bronson silently make his way onto our list. From early episodes of The Twilight Zone to the Dirty Dozen to Magnificent Seven to Once Upon A Time in the Old West, Charles Bronson was the Boba Fett of his age. Bronson was the silent killer, the quiet bad-ass that lent danger to the screen. Bronson had a way of keeping you captivated and curious about his character, and despite his iron visage, he was able to emote and make the audience feel as he did.
7) Bruce Lee – There are a thousand martial arts stars that come from the famous Hong Kong studios, but only one usually comes to mind: Bruce Lee. Founder of Jeet Kune Do, Bruce lee was a modern marvel we are lucky to have preserved on film. His lightning quick agility matched with amazing physical abilities made him a joy to watch. Performances by Bruce Lee paved the way for martial arts to find their way into major distribution, and Enter the Dragon exploded onto screens. Not only did Bruce Lee battle bad guys, but he also had to battle prejudice of White audiences and movie studios (among other entities). Eventually his abilities and temperament would pave the way for other oriental stars like David Carradine, Jackie Chan, Chow Yung Fat, and Jet Li. Not only was he great on screen, but Bruce lee founded his own form of martial arts to match his philosophy and fighting style. A true warrior.
6) Clint Eastwood – One of the few action stars who doesn’t just play “tough guy”. Clint has won awards for both is acting and his directing. He first introduced as a singing cowboy and later became the silent and deadly man with no name in several Sergio Leone “Spaghetti Westerns”. Clint is a true icon for his work on westerns, but also as the scourge of the San Francisco underworld as Detective Harry Callahan. Key phrases like “Go ahead, make my day” have been aped by every American more than the pledge of allegiance (It is shorter) . His depth in acting, filmography, and ability to create action films we truly believe in are what makes his a top contender on our list.
5) Bruce Willis – This actor has had just as radical a path as the others on this list. First starring in a dramedy in the 1980s, Bruce Willis then exploded onto the silver screen playing the cop that got caught in a terrorist plot and seizure of a skyscraper. This shoeless hero endeared us to Bruce and his everyman style followed him on other projects such as Fifth Element, 12 Monkeys, and Pulp Fiction. His delivery of comedy, believable action, and depth of films have made him an action star that we all love.
4) Harrison Ford – The reluctant carpenter first came on the scene as a cowboy drag racer in American Graphitti. But everyone thinks of him as two essential film icons of action: Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford embodies the interstellar smuggler with one line quips, a fast draw, and the ability to win the heart of the princess. Many of those characteristics translated well to the thief/Archeologist Indiana Jones. The adventurer with a phobia for snakes damn near didn’t happen, and Harrison owes some of his fame to Magnum P.I. since Tom Selleck couldn’t play the leading role. But, Harrison also plays the everyman in other films so well, he takes audiences on the thrill ride with him. Thousands of people believe that they cracked whips, chased androids, flew the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, and been a fugitive thanks to Harrison’s ability to make us all action heroes.
3) Mel Gibson – The Australian first came on the scene as post-apocalyptic survivor, and quickly became an icon for action. As Sargent Martin Riggs, the “crazy” gun-wielding, martial arts fighting badass cemented Lethal Weapon as a mandatory watch for all action films. Like Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson has directed Academy Award Winning films, and played everything from war-leading Scotsmen, to alien-fighting father, to disfigured war veteran. His ability to portray betrayal and anger keep us riveted, and ability to deliver punch lines and comedy endear his performances to audiences.
2) Sylvester Stallone – There were a handful of dudes you wanted to be in the 1980s, and Sly played two of them. John Rambo, and Rocky Balboa. His mumbled lines in Rocky have earned thousands of mock impressions, but Sly wound up laughing all the way to the bank. Rocky earned a few awards, and few action stars are able to write and direct equally as well as they act. Along with our number one action hero, Sly was well known for his physique which allowed audiences to believe he could defeat Mr. T in a boxing ring, or take on whole armies. Other macho roles such as police detectives, arm wrestlers, and Judge Dredd have made him an icon of action.
1) Arnold Schwarzenegger – This man epitomizes the action hero. He gets up early every morning, feeds the cats, makes his lunch, blogs for hours on end, reads comics, takes out the garbage…wait that’s me. Arnold is 10 feet tall, wields guns the size of Winnebago, takes on tough alien life forms, and there is no enemy he can’t defeat. If you walked into a dark alley, this would be the guy you would walk into it with. He’s a fearless commando, a sword wielding barbarian, and a man of many one-liners. Action figures and super heroes have been modeled after his enormous physique. Think about it. When did Superman have a huge barrel chest, and super ripped arms? Hell, even my spell check knows who the guys is. And that’s why he is the number one action hero.
Now I know this is a very hard subject because everyone has their own task in music. If you disagree with me on some of my picks you can just suck it up and piss off cause these are the top albums that mean the most to me. I was born in the mid 80s so I was really never exposed to anything unless it was released in Rock Band. Rock Band has shown me the true side of music ever since it came out in 2007. Amazing artists like Boston, Pearl Jam and Metallica were on my radar but I never truly appreciated them until they showed their spirit in Rock Band.
Now, I tried to keep this in scope of the full album. There are some case that one song can make the entire album great but I tried to keep it to multiple songs on the album as my judgement. If you are expecting songs by Brittany Spears, 50 Cent, or basically anything now-a-days, you are on the wrong top ten list. These are GOOD songs that speak for themselves and not about drugs, sex and violence. Some do have these notions but they speak in a language as a struggle against life; not the pain toward others. These songs have the most impact on me as a person and help shape my everyday life. Some of these songs actually help me through tough times especially when I’m depressed. They get me through it.
Now onto my Top Ten. (If you don’t like it you can go F**K yourself. Quoting Family Guy)
#10 – Throwing Copper by Live
These guys need no introduction. They came and went from an era of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Rage; which was absolutely awesome. Grunge was making its way into the lives of everyone; and even though these guys are not a grunge band they still fall in place with Pearl Jam which was an icon along with Nirvana in the early 90s. They were said to be the best party animals after and before a concert and to this day every fan of them wants them to return. I am talking of course about the band “Live.” Ed Kowalczyk, Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and Chad Gracey were one of a kind. Formed in York, PA in 1988, Live didn’t see world-wide success until their 1993 album Throwing Copper, which is #10 on my top ten list. It is not currently in the Rock Band library currently and every hardcore Rock Band player alike has been begging Harmonix to make an appearance in the game since RB1. Please Harmonix, answer our prayers!!!!
#9 – Nevermind by Nirvana
I can’t have a list of favorite albums without mentioning probably the best grunge band of all time. Nirvana basically started grunge to what it was in the 90s, and when you think about 1991 was an amazing year for music. Nirvana’s best album, and most controversial album because of the album art, took a while to jump up the charts but once it hit the minds of the US and started getting popular it sky-rocketed way up to #1. Nirvana was also the first stopping ground for current Foo Fighters band leader Dave Grohl as Nirvana’s drummer. Probably the most iconic song on the album, Smells Like Teen Spirit, helped shape what Nirvana was up until Kurt Cobain’s tragic suicide in 1994 (thanks Courtney Love).
#8 – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins
The entire career of the Smashing Pumpkins has always been a struggle for them. Formed in Chicago in 1988 by Billy Corgan, the Smashing Pumpkins have battled breakups, member changes and even drug use caused the bands breakup in 2000. in 2006 however, Billy Corgan reconvene and release the new album Zeitgeist. Although a good album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness to this day is what shot the band up the billboards to #1 in 1995. You can’t go wrong with listening to “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” ten times a day can you?
#7 – Dirt by Alice in Chains
Continuing on what seems to be a grunge fest of albums (that’s what i like), Alice in Chains makes an appearance in my list. It can be argued that Jar of Files is a better album but I prefer Dirt because of basically one song on the album,” Rooster.” I can listen to “Rooster” all day if I wanted too and it would never get old. Jar of Files just seems too short for me coming in 27 minutes shorter than Dirt. Alice in Chains has not gone anywhere since the 90s and has recently released a fantastic album, Black Gives Way to Blue. I definitely recommend checking that album out if you haven’t heard it yet and I recommend “Your Decision” off of it because it is VERY GOOD.
#6 – Boston by Boston
Switching genres, I have to give thanks to Boston. Even though it is a very short disc of only 7 songs, it to this day defined classic rock with it iconic tracks of “Peace of Mind,” “Foreplay/Long Time,” and “More Than a Feeling.” Many artist copied what Boston did with this debut album (COUGH!! Bon Jovi!!) which to this day was the second best album of all time in the US. Brad Delp could nail those high notes on vocals which in Rock Band are some of the hardest to hit if your not humming it. Formed in 1976 in (you guessed it) Boston, Boston was recorded only a year after lead guitarist Tom Scholz learned to play the guitar. Its stuff like this that just astounds me.
#5 – Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
Back in my high school days I have always been a huge Linkin Park fan since the bands entrance in 1996. The debut album Hybrid Theory makes my top ten because it ushered in a new era of nu-metal style genre with track like “Crawling” and “In the End.” Chester Bennington, lead vocalist, took such a beating with this album that he had to undergo throaght sergury and since then the band has re-organized its style with its latest album Minutes to Midnight. Linkin Park does have a new album which will surface in September of this year called A Thousand Suns. Linkin Park has appeared in Hollywood as well with hits “What I’ve Done” and “New Divide” in the Transformers movies. I’d expect a newer song by Linkin Park for Transformers 3 in the coming years.
#4 – Abbey Road by The Beatles
This one was an insanely tough one. The Beatles are an absolute god in the music industry and because of them have introduced technologies like stereo for god sakes. Choosing an album from them was the hardest thing I had to do because they are all amazing. From Please Please Me to Let It Be, The Beatles have shaped the way music was meant to be played and how it was meant to be listened too. Many spawns of The Beatles surfaced over the decades in an attempt to steal their thunder and none of them have come close. Abbey Road means the most to me in this respect. The setlist continues to this day be the best of all Beatles tracks and the melody, although being long, is awesome to listen too. I was very excited that Abbey Road was fully released on The Beatles: Rock Band. It’s only a shame that I have to play them within that game only.
#3 – Audioslave by Audioslave
Another tough one. Not because it is the best album by this band but because of what the band is made of. I was torn between Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden because Chris Cornell’s voice is unmistakable but I love Tom Morello’s guitar. So I decided to pick the mixture between the two. Audioslave mixed everything that was good about Rage Against the Machine instrumentally and everything amazing about Chris Cornell’s vocals from Soundgarden. The self-titled album was amazing to listen too and I am actually listening to it now as I write this article. Audioslave definitely earns a spot on my list.
#2 – …And Justice for All by Metallica
You didn’t think I would forget about Metallica did you. The band has had many ups-and-downs over the years as far as good albums. Some were amazing, some were okay, and some where just a disappointment. Between the Dave Mustain debacle to the very bad St Anger album, …And Justice for All is most definitely my favorite. Tracks like “One,” “Blackened,” “Dyers Eve,” and “…And Justice for All” just make your spine tingle and make you want to listen to it over and over and over. It is nice to see Metallica tracks making their way into movies and other avenues of media cause for a while no one could play their music without being sued. Nice to see them finally lightening up. Metallica’s recent album, Death Magnetic, was a decent album. Some of the tracks are a continuation of the “Unforgiven” which most Metallica fans would wish just die already and some of the basis of what Metallica use to be way back when like “All Nightmare Long.” Definitely give this album a listen if you haven’t already.
#1 – Ten by Pearl Jam
With all this grunge style music in the mix you had to believe I wouldn’t forget about PJ did you. Ten to this day is the all time greatest album in my little world. It has driven me out of the deepest corners of my heart with tracks like “Release,” “Even Flow,” and “Garden.” It what I play on a daily basis on Rock Band and good thing they are digital on my iPod and Rock Band library cause they would be warped by now. The debut album by Pearl Jam to this day and every day in the future will never be touched. PJ made a great attempt with its latest Backspacer album but still Ten can’t be touched. Eddie Vedder just knows how to sell me within this album. Ten, along with Nirvana, launched the biggest grunge explosion in the early 90s that the world had ever seen. Ten is just too big of an icon. Every song on that track speaks a story of hardship and pain. It just speaks to the sole; it speaks to my sole.
And there you have it. My top ten favorite music albums of my entire existence here on Earth. Every album speaks to a different piece of my sole and personality. Each one is a tribute to something different and when in doubt, I look to these amazing album for a place a solitude and exclusion from my troubles. You may have different views on whats your favorite and you may disagree; but quite frankly I don’t give a damn. Everyone has there different taste in music. I speak for those that help shape how I am and help me out in time of need.
