Monday, December 19, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Top Fifteen Trailers

By: Luke Florence
As soon as I finish one list I start another one, only this next one won't take six months to complete, although it did take that long to gather all the necessary information.

Now that I have posted more than 100 movie trailers over the last 24+ weeks it's time to rank the top fifteen. Granted, these probably aren't my favorite trailers of all-time, but they certainly are ones I always enjoy.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: By The Numbers (Part Two)

By: Luke Florence
Now that you know what my favorite 100 movies are I thought it would be nice to showcase some statistics. Who is my favorite director? What about my favorite actor/actress? Do I favor dramas or comedies? What year had the most films represented on my list? How many Oscars did these films win?

What follows are answers to all of the questions and much more.

Monday, December 12, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 1

By: Luke Florence
On June 30th I mapped out my next major task for this blog with the introduction of a series of posts titled, "KOA's 100 Films." Over the course of the next six months I unveiled my 100 favorite movies. It was the largest list I've ever compiled and without question one of the most difficult tasks I've tackled here.

All of it has led to this last moment when I would finish this major endeavor. For those of you who have been following this blog since its' inception you know how rarely the word "finish" is used. I've started several adventures in the past and have failed to finish, but I refused to accept that notion when I started this adventure.

Fitting in so many ways that the word "finish" should arise by happenstance in my intro to my favorite film of all-time because the idea of "finishing" is a major theme in the movie.

And so here we go. It's been an epic encounter. Thanks for going on it with me. I made this list for myself, but like all great things in life, it can only be enjoyed with the presence of others.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 2

By: Luke Florence
All along I've been listing MY favorite movies without regard for anyone's opinions. The films have been ones that I've enjoyed and could care less whether or not anyone out there agreed with me or not. That mindset kind of changes as we hit my #2 favorite movie of all-time.

This film is one that I consider to be the greatest movie ever made. It's not my #1 movie because of certain personal reasons, but it is without question a piece of art that deserves all of the recognition it has received since it's release nearly two decades ago. What's sad is that it took the world nearly two years after it's opening weekend at the box office to realize how good it was. This film that many regard as the best ever, flopped horribly at the box office and initially didn't make enough money to simply cover production.

And look at it now.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 3

By: Luke Florence

Every once in a while a film comes along and changes things. It's innovating, ground-breaking, and revolutionizes the way movies are perceived. Strong words, yes, but accurate when describing this unbelievable film.

If LOST was condensed to a two-hour movie, it would look like this film ... just completely mind-blowing awesomeness.

Monday, November 21, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 4

By: Luke Florence
Love is a theme that Hollywood has been exploring for as long as anyone can remember. Often, it is portrayed as a fairy-tale where Prince Charming comes to sweep Cinderella off of her feet. Other times it follows a basic formula where two people meet, they fall in love, break-up, but get right back together at the end. There's nothing wrong with these characterizations of love, except that they are missing a taste of reality.

My #4 movie takes a unique turn from the prototypical Hollywood-love angle and tackles the topic with a fresh blend of real-life.

Monday, November 07, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 5

By: Luke Florence

Phew. Let's take a moment and collect ourselves.

In the past four months I've rehashed 95 of my 100 all-time favorite films. And now we are left with my top-five. Only five more to go.

For some - and by some I mean most - of you, my #1 movie will not be a surprise. If you've asked me in the last 15+ weeks then you already know. If you've followed this blog at all in the last 5+ years then you already know. If we've ever been friends in my 2+ decades of living then you already know. The real surprises will occur in the buildup to my #1.

Matt Barnes has already put four of my top five on his list, which leaves just one lonely film that hasn't appeared on our blogs.

That movie finds itself at #5 but within it you will find my all-time favorite movie quote. It comes in response to the question, "how do you write women so well?"

Friday, October 28, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 6

By: Luke Florence

Here are five hints for my #6 favorite film of all-time.

1) If William Shakespeare and Steven Spielberg had a baby it would be this movie.

2) I really want to name my next dog after the lead character in this film.

3) Matt Barnes has only seen it once but it managed to safely reside in his top-100.

4) It was set in 180 AD.

5) This film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor ... good luck.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 7

By: Luke Florence

Football? Check. Underdogs? Check. True Story? Check. Inspiring? Of course. My number seven favorite movie of all-time has all the ingredients of a great film. And for those of you that know me, I don't think this selection will come off as a surprise at all.

Roger Ebert calls the last scene in this movie, "an emotional powerhouse, just the way it's supposed to be." Giddy up.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 8

By: Luke Florence

We all do crazy things for girls. I know I've done my fair share of stupid things all in the pursuit of love. One of them was watching the following film. Going into it I thought it would be the equivalent of The Notebook, a movie that wouldn't crack my top 100,000 favorite films.

Instead it turned into something better than I ever could have anticipated. It turned into one of my top-ten favorite movies of all-time.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 9

By: Luke Florence

"If you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything." A couple of weeks ago yours truly might have made a mistake when I said that The Hangover was my last truly "funny" film. If there were only two kinds of movies (comedies and dramas) in the world, then my #9 would certainly qualify in the former category.

Peter Travers from Rolling Stone calls my #9 movie "National Lampoon's Family Vacation with soul," and I couldn't have said it better myself.

Monday, September 19, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 10

By: Luke Florence
The prestigious top-ten. This is where you will find my favorite movies of all-time ... my desert-island films. The ones I would gladly spend the rest of my life watching. I'm extremely protective of these ten films and it will only change on rare occurrences.

We start with a film directed by Robert Zemeckis, but not the one he's most known for.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 20-11

By: Luke Florence
It's been a bumpy ride at times, but now that we are down to the final twenty movies I'm expecting less surprise selections from Barnes. Seeing as this isn't the first time we've discussed our all-time favorite movies it's safe to assume I could probably guess 65-80% of his remaining twenty.

Let's see if Barnes is able to defy the odds.

KOA's 100 Films: 20-11 Thursday Trailers

By: Luke Florence
Since we have only posted five movies the past two weeks, we had a one-week absence from our trailers. While the quality of these films have gone up the same can be said for the trailers as well. I was pleasantly surprised with how good the majority of these trailers were. Sure there were a couple disappointments, but it's probably the strongest set I've put together yet.

Enjoy.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 15-11

By: Luke Florence
I took a quick glance at my top-100 list last week and sat back in amazement. I couldn't believe how many movies I've talked about and posted the last couple of months. It's incredible that after tonight I'll have gotten through 90% of this massive venture.

These next five films were all in the running for the top-ten but ultimately just fell short. If I had to do it all over again (and I will) I still wouldn't put any of these in the prestigious final ten. But don't think for one second any of them would move down either. They are outstanding movies and ones that will be on my list forever.

Enjoy.

Monday, September 05, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 20-16

By: Luke Florence
Now that we are down to the final twenty films I started looking for a common thread that ties them all together.  It didn't take me long to find the answer.  They inspire me.

Inspiration can come in all shapes, sizes and colors.  It can come quickly and often unexpectedly.  You will hear me mention the "chill effect" quite often from this point on.  The "chill effect" is my body's reaction to inspirational moments.  Moments that will always be remembered.  Moments that cause goosebumps.

These next twenty films are chock-full of memorable moments and more than enough goosebumps to go around.

Enjoy.

Sunday, September 04, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 30-21

By: Luke Florence

As this is the last time we are posting ten films it seems fitting that Barnes waits until his very last group of ten to make his best selections to date.  He has three movies that have already appeared on my list, a couple more that probably will down the road, and a few that just missed.

But, does he put up a stupid selection of the week??  There's only one way to find out.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 30-21 Tuesday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

These trailers just keep getting better and better. The last four of this set were very impressive and it was a tough decision leaving one of them out of my final trailer list.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy these ten trailers.

Monday, August 29, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 30-21

By: Luke Florence

After eight weeks - two months - of ranking, writing and recapping, we are left with a mere 30 movies to unveil. After our last batch of ten tonight we will be down to just 20. Granted, it's going to take three months to finish our list but most of the grind is completed.

It's been a long road to get here, but it's been a completely satisfying journey to say the least. This list is accomplishing exactly what I set out to do. It's giving everyone a closer look into yours truly while teaching me some things I didn't even realize.

Onwards and upwards. Enjoy.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 40-31

By: Luke Florence

Follow-ups are hard to get right. Ask 50 Cent, the producers of movies such as Major League and Pirates of the Caribbean, or Cadillac Williams how hard it is to produce quality material the second time around.

This is what Matt Barnes was up against this week. After last week when Barnes put together the best set of movies to date, he was faced with the gigantic task of trying to keep that momentum going. He responded by posting three movies already seen on my list, a couple solid additions and a ridiculous film about a gigantic terrorizing snake.

Enjoy.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 40-31 Thursday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

Finally we get a strong set of trailers ... only took nearly two months. Picking the top three was fairly difficult but it was a nice change of pace from previous weeks where there might only be one or two good trailers.

Take the next 20 minutes and get a little taste of my #40-31 movies.

Enjoy.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 40-31

By: Luke Florence

Where did all the time go? It seems just like yesterday we were getting started with this list but now we are past the half-way point and rounding third. After tonight, Barnes and I will only have 30 more movies to reveal.

On one hand I'm excited to see what everyone thinks of my remaining 40, and on the other I'm a little sad because our journey is coming close to an end.

Brush those tears aside and settle in for my next batch of favorite movies.

Enjoy.

Monday, August 22, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 50-41

By: Luke Florence

"See The Proposal and then talk to me ... asshole." - Matt Barnes.

Of all the films I've ripped so far on Barnes' list, this is the only time Barnes has responded with such vigor. And to so vehemently defend The Proposal could be seen as a laughable offense, it just shows how we are becoming more emotionally attached to these films. More so than the ones when we just got underway.

No, I'm not going to see The Proposal, and probably won't until a female makes that decision for me, but I applaud Barnes for his passion. It's a bit misguided, but very much present.

Barnes parlays that passion to the best group of ten movies he's posted yet. He has funny movies, dramatic ones and thinking-man favorites. It's - and I can't believe I'm saying this - a really good set of films.

Enjoy.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 50-41 Saturday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

I had zero idea what my favorite trailers were going to be when I decided to rank them every week. There are only one or two trailers I can remember being very excited to see and the rest I had no clue if they would be any good. Just because I liked the movie doesn't correlate to my appreciation of the trailer.

So even though I really enjoy this batch of films, I can honestly say it's the worst bunch of trailers I've posted to date. Movies like Requiem For A Dream and Memento are unequivocally the two most disappointing trailers I've posted for they are too powerful and too emotionally gripping to have such sub-standard trailers promoting their work.

Having said that, I hope you enjoy these set of eleven trailers more so than I.

Enjoy.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 50-41

By: Luke Florence

A couple weeks ago I wrote how it was quite difficult to rank the movies I put in the 50-90 range. There wasn't much differentiating movie ranked #89 from #51. Well we are now past that. We are getting into the second half of the list, where you will find my favorite 50 movies. These are the films I came up with right off the bat when I first created the list. These are my favorite films.

Enjoy.

Friday, August 12, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 60-51

By: Luke Florence

Take a deep breath boys and girls, we are half-way through our lists. And while I certainly feel I've had the better list (no surprises here), it doesn't take a single thing away from what Barnes is doing. These lists are 100% personal. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or feels about them.

We are ranking OUR favorite movies. Not yours ... OURS.

Having said that, Barnes has developed a steady knack for putting some horrendous selections on his list. This week he has zero animated films, a couple knee-slapping comedies, and of course a "what is he thinking?" selection.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: By The Numbers (Part One)

By: Luke Florence

Here we are at the half-way mark. 50 movies down and 50 films yet to go. In order to commemorate this magic moment I thought we would bust out a "By The Numbers" post for the first half of this epic list. We will take a look at how many comedies vs. dramas I've posted thus far, who has the early lead in my favorite actor/actress race and which year has provided the most movies.

Enjoy.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 60-51 Tuesday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

It's been a while since we actually posted our trailers on a Tuesday, so it almost feels like a Homecoming. What follows are the trailers for my movies ranked 60-51. While it's certainly a stronger set than last week there really it's not the best bunch to date. Having said that, I still hope you enjoy them.

Monday, August 08, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 60-51

By: Luke Florence

Getting pretty serious now. After this post we will have unveiled exactly half of our top 100 lists. We are slowly transitioning from movies that we really enjoy to movies we really love. In my next set of ten films I have just one comedy, a handful of dramas and even one animated movie.

Here we go.

Saturday, August 06, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 70-61

By: Luke Florence

It took nearly a month, but Barnes finally got his act together and put some really good movies on his list. Certainly helped that he picked three (and maybe more) films from my list. We have a couple action-packed dramas, a couple more animated films, and of course, the one ridiculous selection.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 70-61 Wednesday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

No matter the day of the week it all counts the same. A mini-vacation put me back a full day in this list but we are doing our best to catch up. Here are my trailers for the movies ranked #70-61. Make sure to check our Barnes' trailers HERE. After viewing both I'd have to say he has the better crop of trailers this week. Do with this as you will. Enjoy.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 70-61

By: Luke Florence

Crazy to think that at this point next week we will be half-way through our lists. These weeks are just flying by. That's what happens when you are having fun ... or something like that. Barnes and I are rolling right on through the bottom half of our favorite 100 movies. Please keep the comments and feedback coming. They are the fuel that ignites these columns. (Who am I trying to kid? Knowing Barnes and myself, we would probably write these even if no one was reading)

This week features the most random group of movies I've unveiled to date. We have both recently released films and movies that have been out for decades. We have very serious flicks and those that are just made to make you laugh. We even have a couple of sports-related films ... one of which is animated.

Giddy up ... it's time.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction to Barnes' 80-71

By: Luke Florence

In the third week of our twenty week endeavor we saw Barnes include yet another animated film, a surprising rom-com selection, and a film about a white rapper. Giddy up folks.

KOA's 100 Films: 80-71 Thursday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

What was supposed to be a Tuesday trailer segment has quickly turned into Thursday trailers. Good thing the alliteration still counts. After this week we will have viewed 30 trailers and eliminated 21 from top-20 contention. As always, sit back, relax, and enjoy the next 20 minutes as we view the next batch of trailers.

Monday, July 25, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 80-71

By: Luke Florence

One of the hardest parts about making this list was differentiating movies 50-90. It was quite difficult slotting those films for a variety of reasons. They all were movies that I loved, but weren't on all-time status. It was easy picking out my all-time favorites, but not so much on all the rest. Just so you know, there is hardly any difference in these next thirty flicks. The margins between them is minuscule to say the least.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction To Barnes' 90-81

By: Luke Florence

We are two weeks in and neither Barnes nor myself has "fucked it up," yet. In Barnes' second unveiling he pounds out another cartoon flick, a drama about dinosaurs, and perhaps (and I never thought I'd say this) a worse selection than Jungle 2 Jungle.

Ladies and gentlemen, Matt Barnes.

KOA's 100 Films: 90-81 Thursday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

Here we are again with a new batch of trailers. This week we take a look at the movies that were ranked #90-81 on my list. The top three in each group will be eligible for my final ranking of twenty, which will be done when this massive list finally concludes. So sit back, relax and spend the next twenty minutes re-living these great films.

Monday, July 18, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 90-81

By: Luke Florence

One week down, 19 to go. Might seem daunting, but the reality is that after this week, 1/5 of our lists will be complete. The reaction through one week was incredible. After reading just the bottom ten in our list, people are debating our picks, guessing as to what lies ahead, and some are even creating their own. It's been a pretty remarkable week. Here's to hoping that momentum continues.

There are a couple of new additions to the format this week. From here on out if you click on the title of any of my movies it will link to amazon.com where you can purchase that movie for yourself, or even better, for ME (blu-ray's are preferable, thank-you for caring). Also, I've added a stock-up/down option. This will let you know which direction each movie is headed on my list.

Enjoy.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: Rapid Reaction To Barnes' 100-91

By: Luke Florence
Last night after bowling, Matt Barnes and myself began discussing among other things, our movie list. We talked about our internal processes compiling the list, what the list meant to us, and the reaction we received from our readers. The entire conversation could be summed up by a four-letter statement from Barnes.

"Don't fuck it up."

Strong words from someone who already did that by putting Jungle 2 Jungle in their top 100, but the mindset remains that this is the most important list either one of us have ever compiled and by falling short in our mission to post our top 100 would be a disservice to ourselves and to you.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: 100-91 Tuesday Trailers

By: Luke Florence

For some, going to the movies is more than just watching the featured film. It's the smell of the popcorn, or the sound of a collected group of laughter. For others, the best part about going to the movies is watching the previews.

The two-minute trailer/preview gives you a brief look into a film, a small synopsis, and will ultimately leave one with a positive or negative impression on the soon-to-be-released movie.

Every Tuesday I will post the trailers for the ten movies I just finished writing about the previous Monday. I will rank them 10-1 with the final goal being a top-10 list of my favorite trailers. Hope you enjoy.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

KOA's 100 Films: An Introduction

By: Luke Florence

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." - Clark Gable, Gone With The Wind.

Six years ago the American Films Institute aired a three-hour special unveiling the top 100 movie quotes of the past 100 years. I mention this to show precedence for what I'm about to attempt. It'll take longer than three-hours and it won't end with anything even close to Gone With The Wind, but the thought process is similar.

Ranking my 100 favorite movies of all-time.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

2011 Black History Month: #17 - #1 Black Actor Performance

By: Luke Florence

Where did the time go? We are already two days removed from February and my tribute to Black History Month is still stuck on #17. As with most things, life just kind of got in the way. My apologies. For those of you that are really pining to see the rest of the list, then the following will hopefully be satisfying. Here we go, with an abbreviated look at my top 17 Black Actor/Actress Performances.

#17 - Cuba Gooding Jr. as "Radio" in "Radio" - Didn't go full retard and after you get a look at the real Radio at the end of the movie, you realize how well of a job Cuba did in his portrayal.

#16 - Will Smith as "Chris Garnder" in "The Pursuit of Happyness" - This earned him an Academy Award nomination (his 2nd), and cemented him as one of the top actors of our generation.

#15 - Jamie Foxx as "Ray Charles" in "Ray" - Since we all know Ray Charles you can imagine the difficulties it would present to an actor. However, Foxx was excellent and picked up an Oscar for Best Leading Role in 2005.

#14 - Ray Allen as "Jesus Shuttlesworth" in "He Got Game" - This was a personal selection because Allen wasn't spectacular and this movie didn't receive any accolades. But I loved Ray Allen at UCONN, so I'm putting him on my list.

#13 - Michael Jordan as "Himself" in "Space Jam" - My favorite athlete of all-time stars in a movie, you better believe it's going to be on this list. Actually thought Jordan did a decent job, especially when you consider he was acting mainly in front of a green screen.


#12 - Cuba Gooding Jr. as "Frank Sachs" in "As Good As It Gets" - It's a top-ten movie (maybe even top-five) for yours truly, and Cuba was hilarious in his limited time on screen.



#11 - DeWayne Warren as "G-Baby" in "Hardball" - I always try to include Matt Barnes in these lists somehow, and this year this was the best I could do. He loves Hardball and G-Baby is the most memorable character in the film, so here we are.


#10 - Will Smith as "Bagger Vance" in "The Legend of Bagger Vance" - 2nd appearance for Will Smith as he tries to repeat from his 2009 BHM crown. Golf, Will Smith, and Matt Damon add up to a great movie



#9 - Whoopi Goldberg as "Sister Mary Clarence" in "Sister Act/Sister Act II" - 2nd female, and the first to ever crack the top-ten in my BHM lists. She is funny, smart, witty, and perfect for these films.


#8 - Doug E. Doug as "Sanka Coffie" in "Cool Runnings" - Favorite movie of all-time, it's a shame I didn't get around to dedicating an entire post to Sanka. (Head to the 3:30 mark for some great Sanka moments)



#7 - Eddie Murphy as "Prince Akeem" in "Coming To America" - One of those great 80's comedies that will never not be funny. Too bad Eddie got further away from these movies and more towards the Daddy Day Care variety.


#6 - Robert Downey Jr. as "Kirk Lazarus" in "Tropic Thunder" - He was absolutely hilarious in this film, and he deserved the Academy Award nomination he received. Yeah I know he's not actually black, but he played a black dude.



#5 - Cuba Gooding Jr. as "Rod Tidwell" in "Jerry Maguire" - Three appearances for Cuba, but this one is by far his best. He won the 1997 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, which ultimately led to lots of people showing him the money.


#4 - Denzel Washington as "Coach Herman Boone" in "Remember The Titans" - Denzel did not get nominated for any major awards with this performance, but it's one of my personal favorites. I loved the movie, and thought Denzel was an excellent high school football coach.


#3 - Will Smith as "Muhammad Ali" in "Ali" - My favorite Will Smith performance, as he does an absolute amazing job portraying the greatest heavyweight champion of all-time. He lost out on the Oscar for Best Actor, but as you will soon find out, he lost to another epic performance.



#2 - Denzel Washington as "Det. Alonzo Harris" in "Training Day" - Will Smith lost out on that Oscar to this performance by Denzel. It's the perfect role for Denzel and he knocked it out of the park.


It was very difficult putting these final three in order, but at the end of the day, I had to give the nod to ...


#1 - Morgan Freeman as "Red" in "The Shawshank Redemption" - It's my 2nd favorite movie of all-time and boasts the best Black Performance I've ever seen. He lost out on the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but like that entire Academy Awards, something tells me if they re-voted right now, Freeman would walk away the winner. As for now, he stands tall as the champion of this very prestigious list.


Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

2011 Black History Month: #18 Black Actor Performance

By: Luke Florence

2011 Black History Month: #18 Black Actor Performance

Denzel Washington as "Joe Miller" in "Philadelphia"


Tighten up your belt, double-tie your shoe-laces, and get your game-face on. We are getting serious from here on out. These next 18 performances are legit and you could probably make a case for any of these next eight to be in the top-ten, but there are only so many spots available. Here we go folks.

Denzel Washington is not only one of my favorite actors in the business, but he is also widely considered to be the one of the best as well. However, the typical Denzel role has him starring in a high-action, gun-wielding, powerful-yelling movie. Look at Training Day, American Gangster, John Q, Out Of Time, etc. Not taking anything away from Denzel, but these can all be considered the same role. This is not the case in Philadelphia.


Denzel plays a lawyer named Joe Miller who decides to take on Tom Hanks lawsuit. Hanks is suing his former law-firm because he believes they fired him once they found out he had AIDS. Hanks does a marvelous job in this film and he very much deserved the Oscar he won for Best Actor. During Hanks' acceptance speech he mentions Denzel and goes on to say, "by taking this role, he [Denzel] put his film integrity at risk." Couldn't agree more.


Joe Miller is a homophobe who doesn't understand the AIDS virus except that it is attached to homosexuals. He is very short-minded, short-sighted, and ignorant at the beginning of the film. But as the movie progresses, so does Miller's attitude. He begins to understand the disease and he sees Hanks' character more as a person than just as a homosexual. The beauty of it is there is not a single scene where everything dawns on Denzel, instead, it is something that slowly develops as the movie goes on. It's a remarkable sight.


As for me, I could relate to Joe Miller. The first time I watched Philadelphia I can honestly say that I did not know too much about the AIDS virus. I had no idea what it meant and how one contracted it. Philadelphia was an eye-opening film and one that everyone needs to watch.


Memorable Quotes

"Some of these people make me sick. But a law's been broken here. You do remember the law, don't you?" - Joe Miller

"We're standing here in Philadelphia, the, uh, city of brotherly love, the birthplace of freedom, where the, uh, founding fathers authored the Declaration of Independence, and I don't recall that glorious document saying anything about all straight men are created equal. I believe it says all men are created equal." - Joe Miller

"It's that every now and again - not often, but occasionally - you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens." - Andrew Beckett

Hint for #17: This actor played the son of a someone already mentioned in a movie previously on this list. He gets the nod here because just as Tropic Thunder pointed out, he didn't go "full retard."

Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

2011 Black History Month: #19 Black Actor Performance

By: Luke Florence

2011 Black History Month: #19 Black Actor Performance

Samuel L. Jackson as "Jules Winnfield" in "Pulp Fiction"


It's an oddity to say that the first two rated-R movies I ever watched were both at my grandparent's house, but it's true. The Fugitive was first, followed quickly by Pulp Fiction. My aunt (who shall remain nameless) watched both movies with me at Grandma's house told me to tell my parents that I watched something PG, like The Lion King. Who knew that more than 15 years later I would be chronicling that conversation in a list dedicated to black history month.

I've only watched Pulp Fiction twice, but after the first time I can remember thinking how cool Samuel L. Jackson's hair/facial hair looked. It was the #1 thing I took away. Obviously watching Pulp Fiction as a ten-year-old and then again as an 18-year-old will provoke different reactions, but the constant thought was centered around Samuel L. Jackson, and how great he was in this performance.


Jackson plays hitman Jules Winnfield in this Tarantino classic. His partner is John Travolta, and the two have incredible chemistry. But, Winnfield is more than your stereotypical mobster. He is thoughtful, deep and also burdened by his job. After suffering a near-death experience, he decides to change his ways for good.

We all think of Samuel L. Jackson as the loud dude who screams a ton and gets in people face's all the time. Well, Jackson does that here, but he shows a broader range than he usually gets the chance to showcase in the majority of his roles. There should be no surprise that this performance was his only Oscar nomination, because it appears to be the only time he is asked to be a complex character in my short memory.


Pulp Fiction revitalized John Travolta's career, propelled Quinton Tarantino to new heights and landed Samuel L. Jackson his only Oscar bid. Not too bad for a movie that scared the living crap out of me when I watched it as a little ten-year-old at Grandmas.


Memorable Quotes

"Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. What kind of hamburgers?" - Jules Winnfield

"Whether or not what we experienced was an According to Hoyle miracle is insignificant. What is significant is that I felt the touch of God. God got involved." - Jules Winnfield

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?" - Jules Winnfield

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee." - Jules Winnfield

"Do you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France?" - Jules Winnfield

"You know, walk the earth, meet people... get into adventures. Like Caine from 'Kung Fu.'" - Jules Winnfield

Hint for #18: This movie is named after a U.S. city that I have never been to, even though the state it resides in borders Ohio.

Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."

Monday, February 14, 2011

2011 Black History Month: #20 Black Actor Performance

By: Luke Florence

2011 Black History Month: #20 Black Actor Performance

James Earl Jones as "Darth Vader" in "Star Wars"


"Luke, I am your father."

Young and old. Rich and poor. Black and white. Fat and thin. Every kind of person that is out there has uttered that phrase to me. Growing up it immediately confused me, but once I understood the origins, it started to annoy me. Eventually I learned to embrace it. Now here I am glorifying it. Life is strange.

As you have probably gathered by now, the black/white relationship plays a huge part in these Black History Month lists. And to be honest, I'm not sure there is a bigger black/white dynamic than the one found in Star Wars. There is the whole dark side. Darth Vader is always in black, while Luke Skywalker is normally in white. Add in James Earl Jones' voice for a character who is white, and my head is ready to explode, as I'm sure Barnes' is too.


Honestly though, it would be difficult to tell the story of great black actors without including a chapter for James Earl Jones. He was nominated for a 1970 Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Great White Hope (another black/white reference!), and it takes three days to scroll through his resume on IMDB. He was solid in A Field of Dreams and I enjoyed his Coming To America work as well. But it is, and always will be, his voice that resonates with most of us.


It's deep, powerful, and grabs your attention. It was the perfect voice for Darth Vader and is a big reason he is considered one of the best villains of all-time. When you think of Darth Vader, the first thing you think of is his voice. Also, I would be remiss to not mention The Lion King somewhere on this list as well. And wouldn't you know, Earl Jones is the voice of Mufasa, which I know will make Matt Barnes smile that big wide smile we all know and love.

So James Earl Jones gets on here for two reasons ... one he is a black actor, and two, his voice was for the blackest of all villains, Darth Vader. This is what I do.  You're welcome.  


Memorable Quotes

"Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me." - Darth Vader

"The force is with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet." - Darth Vader

"I've been waiting for you, Obi-wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master." - Darth Vader

"The force is strong with this one." - Darth Vader

Hint for #19: He's loud and is all about hamburgers. Big hint ... you always include his middle initial when you talk about him.

Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."

2011 Black History Month: #21 Black Actor Performance

By: Luke Florence
2011 Black History Month: #21 Black Actor Performance

Don Cheadle as "Det. Graham Waters" in "Crash"


When I was a sophomore in high-school, I was in a Creative Writing class. We wrote several papers throughout the year but had to write a longer/chapter story for our final. I thought it would be cool if I took every story that I wrote throughout the school-year for that class and find a way to connect them for my final paper. I pulled it off, my teacher ate it up, and I landed an A. I was proud of that story because I was (and still am) in love with a story that involves a large cast of characters all brought together.

It's why LOST is one of my favorite TV shows, and Love, Actually is one of my favorite movies. Crash fits this description nicely.

"I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other just so we can feel something." - Det. Graham Waters

Crash, which surprisingly won the 2004 Oscar for Best Picture is a story about race, family, crime, etc. It introduces us to a wide variety of characters and beautifully intertwines them throughout the film. It is one of those movies that everyone needs to see because it presents a ton of issues to discuss, but also because it is a beautiful piece of artwork.

Don Cheadle gets the nod here because just as Forrest Whitaker is one of the best actors in the business, so is Cheadle. He was nominated in the 2004 Academy Awards for his performance in Hotel Rwanda (never seen), and has been in several block-buster movies (Boogie Nights, Iron Man series, and The Ocean's Eleven Trilogy just to name a few). I also enjoyed his performance in Reign Over Me, even if the ending leaves a little bit to be desired.

In Crash, Cheadle plays a detective who is battling family issues. He has a sick mother and a criminal for a brother. His mom desperately wants his son to come back, and berates Cheadle for not finding him. Cheadle is terrific in this role, as is the entire cast, which includes Terrence Howard (who just missed making this list).

So in the end, this is a nod for Cheadle's career more than this particular film, but when you consider how good this movie is, it's hard to argue with its' placement.

Unfortunately, there are not any clips chronicling Cheadle's Crash performance, so I will leave you with an interview and the movie trailer. Sorry boys and girls.




Memorable Quotes

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something." - Det. Graham Waters

"Well, f**k you very much. But thanks for thinking of me." - Det. Graham Waters

"Well then I guess the big mystery is, who gathered all those remarkably different cultures together and taught them all how to park their cars on their lawns?" - Det. Graham Waters

"And the right message is look at this Black Boy I bought?" - Det. Graham Waters

Hint for #20: His voice is unmistakable, and you never see his face throughout the entire movie.

Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."