Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino's 90's classic doesn't really have any substance as far as a plot goes. There is no mistake behind that though. The film is built on dialogue and dialogue alone. Yes, there is a fair share of Tarantino violence involved, but if you are looking for an action packed thriller this is not the film for you.

When viewing Pulp Fiction for the first time, the first scene will leave you scratching your head. You see Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in suits talking about how a quarter pounder from McDonald's is called a "Royale with cheese" in France. They get guns out of their trunk and then you realize that they are hit men. When I saw this movie for the first time, I thought it was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen. We follow two hit men having casual humorous conversations right before they go kill a few guys. It makes no sense. But that's what makes Pulp Fiction--its dialogue.

Pulp Fiction is quite possibly the most quotable movie of all time. Samuel L. Jackson's character (Jules) is one of my favorite movie characters because of his quotes. I quote Jules on a daily basis. My favorite scene comes at the beginning of the film when Jules is pulling off the first hit. While interrogating his nervous victim, he says things like, "Say what again! Say what one more goddamn time. I dare you. I double dare you motherfucker!" and, "Do I look like a bitch? Then why you tryin' to fuck me like a bitch?" I could go on and on with around 25 quotes from this movie, but I digress.

If someone were to ask me what Tarantino movie most defines his film style, I would tell them Pulp Fiction. For someone to make a film with virtually no plot and get so much critical acclaim speaks volumes. Famous film critic Roger Ebert said that he thought Pulp Fiction was, "the most influential movie of the 90's." Pretty much the only thing this movie has going for it is its dialogue, but that is not an insult. The writing is so good it can carry 2 and a half hours of screen time.

Pulp Fiction has an all star cast as well. Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, and Harvey Keitel all have major roles so there is never a dull moment. My friends and I watch this movie every year after the Tennessee/Alabama football game to lighten the mood following a tough loss. It's the perfect antidote.

I will warn first time viewers though. I wasn't a huge fan after the first time I watched it. I felt this way because I didn't really grasp what the movie was. I didn't know what happened in the 2 and a half hours of watching. So naturally, I decided to watch it again. There had to be some reason why so many people obsess over this movie. I watched it again and everything clicked. Every scene is memorable. So if you watch this movie for the first time and do not like it, please don't give up on it. Watch it again.

Into the Wild

You just graduated from college, abandoned all of your belongings, and donated your entire life savings to charity. Now you're going to Alaska to live in the wilderness. This is what Christopher McCandless decided to do following his graduation.

Based on a true story, Into the Wild follows Christopher on his journey to Alaska without any money or possessions. He gets rid of his real name and decides to rename himself Alexander Supertramp. He does this because he wants to get away from all civilization. He became frustrated with the people in his life. So he decided to submerge himself in wildlife. However, before he arrives in Alaska, he has to find a way to get there.

On his way to Alaska, Supertramp encounters a number of different people who all have different perspectives on life. All of these people play a part in changing Supertramp's life. Throughout most of the movie, I found it hard to like Supertramp. He is arrogant and somewhat of a know it all. He tries to lecture everyone on how everyone should live their lives--without boundaries.

Supertramp thought that everyone should live life to the fullest. Do whatever you want without worrying about how you are affecting other people. He thought that the way to find true happiness is to live independently without relying on any material items and losing yourself with nature.

Sure, we've all wanted to get away. There is something that sounds pleasant about getting away from everyone and everything in life. No stress and no expectations. Into the Wild is a life lesson on why depending on only yourself is not the best idea.

I watched this movie when I was living alone in my room last year. All three of my roommates had transferred by the end of the year and it was just me. I wasn't in the Alaskan wild like Alexander Supertramp, but I was living a life of solitude at the time. I wasn't talking to my family very much because, being a naive college student, I thought I had broken away. 

I finished this movie in my dorm room bed and cried a little. I'm going to make this clear--I am not a softie. I haven't cried in 10 months. This movie moved me more than any other movie I have seen. Maybe it's because it is based on a true story. Maybe it's because of the way I was treating my own life at the time. When people say there are movies that everyone must see, this should be included on that list. Not because it is extremely well done, but because of its message.

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."
--Alexander Supertramp

Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theater

(2011; 62 minutes)

I know, I know... a stand up comedy act. I was once just as skeptical as most people. Whenever I saw stand-up on shows like America's Got Talent or Last Comic Standing, I cringed when someone made a joke that wasn't funny. 

My brother once showed me a clip of Louis C.K. comparing zoos to slavery. I loved it. So I hit up Netflix and found one of his acts. I've seen Live at the Beacon Theater 3 or 4 times now, and it doesn't get old. Louis C.K. says whatever he wants. He goes on a fifteen minute rant about how much he hates a 6-year-old in his daughter's class. At one point he says, "I want to water-board that motherfucker."

Louis has no limits when it comes to his comedy. He knows what makes people uncomfortable, and then exploits those weaknesses. Yet, I can't help but to love him. He makes it clear that he is a family man. His daughters are the light of his life. However, he still loves to poke fun at them. He talks about how boring it can be to be a dad by mentioning the frustration of kids learning how to read.

The best parts of Louis C.K.'s comedy come when he goes on tangents that have little to do with his overall story. For example, he starts a story with his daughter struggling to learn how to read, then talks about how stupid Clifford books are. Before you know it, he is talking about Clifford sitting on the electric chair with all of his fur shaved off. It's like when a teacher gets off topic during class. You want it to just keep going.

His range is fantastic. This show features topics such as: raising children, playing Monopoly, admitting his hatred towards a young child and the child's mother, and smoking weed. 

Watching Louis C.K. is a little disturbing. Not only because what he says is so horribly wrong, and pushes the limits of "going too far."But also because you occasionally realize that you can relate to his jokes. I found myself thinking, "I totally understand where he is coming from. I'm a terrible person."

There isn't a moment in his show that I would want him to leave out. There aren't any jokes that flop like the comics on reality shows. He provides so many details that you can picture yourself standing in the situations he is describing. He is a true artist--the Leonardo da Vinci of comedians. He is a comic god.

Freaks and Geeks

Net-Fix Now Streaming

One could spend more time on Netflix trying to find something rather than actually watching a movie or tv show. This is a daily routine for me. I'd estimate that I surf Netflix an hour a day not watching anything. I'm here to help highlight the best that Netflix has to offer.

Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000; 18 episodes)

Do not be fooled by the fact that Freaks and Geeks was on the air for one season before it was canceled. The show was pure genius. Set in a Michigan town in the 80's, Freaks and Geeks throws you into a nostalgic high school environment. The show has everything: a hippy guidance counselor, a nerdy girl getting into a sketchy clique, nerdy yet lovable losers, unfair teachers, stoners, and overprotective parenting.

This isn't your typical high school drama series with over-the-top themes. Although it is set in the 80's, you can relate to almost every situation. As a viewer, you fall in love with all of the characters because you can find something to relate to with all of them. The two main characters, Lindsay and Sam Weir, are siblings representing the freaks and the geeks respectively. We follow the two into their cliques and their conflicts that reminded me of the ones I experienced in high school.

Lindsay is especially important. We follow her on her journey of finding out who she is and how she is shaped by her friends. She does this while juggling family life and academics.

The soundtrack of the show might be the greatest thing to ever happen on television. Artists include: Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Van Halen. There are also entire episodes with soundtracks showcasing one artist such as Styx and Billy Joel.

Perhaps the biggest reason why this show is so fascinating is that it has so many well-known actors when they were young and before they were famous. When it aired, nobody had any idea that when they were watching Freaks and Geeks, they were witnessing a budding friendship in James Franco and Seth Rogen. The characters they played in Freaks and Geeks were "freaks" known for being stoner misfits. Little did we know that we were watching the future stoner duo of Pineapple Express. Franco and Rogen are comedy superstars today, but the friendship started on the set of Freaks and Geeks (Rogen's first role). Jason Segel plays another one of the "freaks." Segel (now seen in How I Met Your Mother and Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is another example of a highly successful actor who broke out through Freaks and Geeks.

The acting is just okay. The writing isn't complex, but it didn't need to be. I think the best part of the show is watching these actors grow into their characters. By the 18th episode, the show began to hit its stride. NBC canceled something special very prematurely. However, James Franco and Seth Rogen have been rumored to be thinking about making a Freaks and Geeks movie. I pray daily that this would happen.

Freaks and Geeks is a must watch. This is a show you can knock out in one week and be sobbing when it's over.