|link| Posted 5:05 PM by Brian Linse

Worst Movies of All Time

There's been some fun recently with Worst Movies of All Time lists. Chuck Kuff and Barlow, amongst others, have tempted me to join in.

BadDude criteria:

1) Film must have been a US Theatrical release that was supposed to be a "hit". (Thus the absence of direct-to-video Resurrection(1999), perhaps the worst movie I've ever seen. It was straight to vid in the US, but I saw it screened in Mexico City.)

2) I must have actually seen the film, though cable/DVD viewings do count. (Thus the absence of Gigli & Rollerball (2002), and the inclusion of Battlefield Earth.)

3) The film must have no redeeming qualities. None. (Thus, the absence of Howard The Duck, which was redeemed by Lea Thompson romping on a bed in her panties. So if Lea's panties can redeem a film, you get the idea of how bad it has to be to make my list.)

The List (in no particular order):

Battlefield Earth (2000): I actually felt sorry for Barry Pepper and Forest Whitaker.

Town and Country (2001): This one was so bad I told all my friends to see it.

Lost In Space (1998): When a combination of Gary Oldman as Dr. Smith with Mimi and Heather in shrink-wrap uniforms can't redeem a picture, well, let's just say I was surprised that the world didn't end shortly after it's release.

Oscar (1991): Directed by John Landis, so that explains a lot. But poor Don Ameche is prolly only now getting out of Purgatory for participating in it.

Driven (2001): Burt Reynolds was likely supposed to be the failsafe on this one, but he wasn't up to it. At least Days of Thunder had Robert Duval.

Leonard Part 6 (1987): Gloria Foster redeemed herself with her role as The Oracle in The Matrix, but nothing could redeem this film.

Shanghai Surprise (1986): How bad does a film have to be when Sean-fucking-Penn can't redeem it?

The Avengers (1998): How could this have happened? I'm still confused...

Bedazzled (2001): Worst. Remake. Ever.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002): This one is wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin. Suffice to say that if you ever meet a woman who says it's one of her favorites, run away as fast as you can. There's no shame in self-preservation.

And to help you judge where I'm coming from...

Top Ten:
Vertigo
Blue Velvet
Rear Window
Slapshot
Local Hero
The Verdict
Blade Runner (Director's Cut)
Goodfellas
The Graduate
Dr. Strangelove

Guilty Pleasures:
The Fifth Element
Hunt For Red October
Beautiful Girls
Dune
Alien 3
Casino
Body Double
Barbarella

|link| Posted 3:11 PM by Brian Linse

Grammy Wammy

While the mainstream media is obsessed/impressed with the domination of the 46th Grammy Awards nominations by Rap performers, a much more impressive showing by anyone's standards has to be by the late Warren Zevon. In five years time, when nobody will even remember who most of these hot Rappers are, Zevon's five nominations (four in the top 20 catagories) and the music that earned them will still hold up as the work of a true American genius.

Song Of The Year: Keep Me In Your Heart - Jorge Calderón & Warren Zevon, songwriters (Warren Zevon) Track from: The Wind

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon Track from: The Wind

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: - Disorder In The House Warren Zevon & Bruce Springsteen Track from: The Wind

Best Rock Song: Disorder In The House - Jorge Calderón & Warren Zevon, songwriters (Warren Zevon & Bruce Springsteen) Track from: The Wind

Best Contemporary Folk Album: The Wind - Warren Zevon [Artemis Records]

Other FOBs (Friends of BadDude) gaining noms this year are The Yellowjackets for Best Comtmporary Jazz Album, Time Squared, and composer/arranger Vince Mendoza for Best Instrumental Composition, and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist.

And from perhaps the only session I would have wanted to attend as much as The Wind sessions:

Best Spoken Word Album For Children: Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks - Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev & Sophia Loren (Kent Nagano; Russian National Orch.)

Wolf Tracks?

|link| Posted 10:05 PM by Brian Linse

Lefty Directory Update

48 new Lefties are added to the blogroll over at The Lefty Directory.

|link| Posted 4:36 PM by Brian Linse

"Why The Hell Not?"

Finally, a campaign that I can get behind: Kinky Friedman for Governor of Texas!