Barcelona’s Famous “Las Ramblas” District

First and foremost, all of our thoughts and prayers go to the victims of the horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona, which took place on August 17th in the area of Las Ramblas, a historic Barcelona street that leads from the waterfront to a central plaza in the city known as Placa de Catalunya.

Just off of the Placa is the street known as “Las Ramblas”, a beautiful pedestrian boulevard that runs through the heart of old Barcelona, over a mile long. It was created as a pedestrian street for locals and tourists…

This is where the terror attack occurred, as this area was packed with people. I turned on the TV this morning to see a makeshift memorial already set up to honor those victims, and Las Ramblas was filled with people – as someone said, to show terrorists that these attacks won’t shut a city down…

If you haven’t been to Barcelona, this is one of the most iconic locations to see.

My wife Alex and I visited Barcelona a few years ago, and Las Ramblas is always full of locals and tourists alike, people out for a walk on a beautiful day…

The people in this city were friendly, warm and welcoming – and we felt immediately at home here…

One of the highlights of Las Ramblas is the legendary food market called “La Boqueria”, which is about halfway down the street…one of Barcelona’s most famous destinations…famed for both its food and its products…

The first mention of the Boqueria market in Barcelona dates from 1217, when tables were installed near the old city gate to sell meat. Once you are inside, you can see that meat is, indeed, their specialty.

Spain’s famous hams hang EVERYWHERE – they come in all shapes and sizes, all ready to purchase, from a single sliver to a whole ham…we especially loved the “Iberico” ham – rich and buttery, with a thicker consistency…terrific on a piece of spanish peasant bread, which is the traditional way to eat it – the bread is rubbed with garlic and tomato, with a bit of olive oil.

You can also wander along the rows and find all kinds of food, like this fish stall, where Alex knew I would love to buy as much as I could carry and make a big feast…

As you can see, this market is always crowded with shoppers and gawkers alike…buying food and taking pictures….

The first thing you notice is that there are platters of food all around you – so much to choose from, and all of it delicious…

The counter was full of families eating together, a great mixture of tourists and locals…it was clear that people who live in Barcelona also frequent the Boqueria…it’s NOT just a tourist destination…

You can order grilled Piquillo peppers – a local delicacy – in fact, that was one of the great things about this location – all of the regional specialties.

Another local specialty are the spicy roasted potatoes – served with a spicy mayonnaise…all of this food was also very reasonably priced.

Food is a very important part of this city – and there is terrific, authentic and affordable food everywhere, including at one of the world’s best tapas restaurant…

“Cal Pep” is one of the most well-known tapas restaurants in the city, and arguably the best as well. You can see some of the best Cal Pep dishes by clicking on this link…

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/20/barcelona-tapas-cal-pep-the-battle-for-tapas-supremacy/

Just to the north of this area is the famous cathedral that has been under construction for more than 100 years….

Barcelona’s “Sagrada Famiglia” is an amazing church, which you can tour – you can see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/19/barcelonas-sagrada-famiglia-the-worlds-most-beautiful-construction/

Again, thoughts and prayers to everyone in Barcelona for this senseless tragedy – and I share everyone’s hope that this great city and residents can recover soon…

Ten Great “K” Films!

A theater full of laughing patrons sums up the letter “K” – because a couple of the movies beginning with that letter are the funniest of all time!

I’m counting down “Movies A-Z”, and this edition focused on the letter “K”, which has some classic action, comedy AND Quentin Tarantino, of course!

No real order, just ten reasons to love cinema – let’s get going with one of the funniest movies ever released!

10 – “Kentucky Fried Movie!”

The Zucker Brothers are best known for the comedic masterpiece “Airplane!”, but they warmed up with this classic comedy – a series of sketches with a ton of great Guest Actors…here is the trailer:

There are great comedy sketches and a 30-minute scene-for-scene parody of the great Bruce Lee film “Enter The Dragon” – see more about that here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/03/big-jim-slade-fistfuls-of-yen-its-the-kentucky-fried-movie/

The movie also contains a trailer for the movie “Catholic High School Girls In Trouble!”

The movie trailer is hilarious, and the “Actress” in the trailer is none other that legendary sex kitten Uschi Digard!

She has fond memories of her role in the film, and you can read them here – along with a look at her eclectic movie career!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/17/sex-kitten-uschi-digard-bares-her-toy-box-legendary-russ-meyer-star-hilariously-naked-kentucky-fried-movie-cameo/

Comedy comes in all forms – including a genius kung fu action comedy from Hong Kong!

9 – “Kung Fu Hustle”

“Kung Fu Hustle” is a 2004 Hong Kong-Chinese martial arts gangster musical comedy that was directed, co-produced and co-written by Stephen Chow, who also stars!

The trailer alone will blow your mind!

Stephen Chow knocked it out of the park with this classic action/comedy – this is a movie worth finding!

Another Hong Kong action film is on the list – but this one’s not funny – just one of the greatest action movies of all time!

8 – “The Killer”

John Woo blew away audiences with this incredible action thriller starring Chow Yun-Fat.

Here is the original Asian language trailer for this 1989 action masterpiece – trust me, you don’t need english for this:

This, along with John Woo’s “Hard Boiled” and his American film “Face/Off” are a triple bill of action that can’t be topped – click here to see more of Woo’s terrific work:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/06/30/killer-assassins-hard-boiled-killers-death-by-hammer-classic-asian-thrillers/

One of America’s great Directors also set out to make an action classic – and went to the far east for inspiration!

7 – “Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2”

Can you believe it’s been 14 years since Quentin Taranto unleashed the double-barrelled whammy of “Kill Bill” on us?

Let’s begin with the trailer for part one:

One year later, Tarantino gave us the second half of the story – here is the trailer for “Kill Bill Volume 2”:

Both are great for different reasons, and Tarantino has yet to give us a “combined, added-scenes-and-directors-cut” version of the movie, which has been long rumored. We shall see…did you know where he got the inspiration for Elle Driver, played by Darryl Hannah?

Well, that would be “Artsploitation” legend Christina Lindberg of course! Click here to see her great sexploitation classic that inspired Quentin!

https://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

“Kill Bill” is full of kung fu and exploitation homages – and who knew these genres better than the iconic “B” movie Director Larry Cohen!

6 – “King Cohen!”

You may not know Director Larry Cohen – but you should! There’s a terrific documentary that tells his amazing story – here is the trailer:

Larry Cohen made such classic exploitation films as “Black Caesar” and “It’s Alive!” Here is a look at all of his great films!

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/08/king-cohen-exploitation-director-larry-cohen-killer-babies-winged-serpents-exploitation-master-dynamite-new-documentary/

Cohen has a great career to be proud of – and here is another Director who has made some of cinema’s wildest adventures, including this recent one:

5 – “Killer Joe”

William Friedkin directed such classic films as “The French Connection”, “The Exorcist” and “To Live And Die In LA” – but this recent outing was one of his best – check out this all-star cast:

The material is dark dark DARK, but the entire cast digs in and delivered a black comedy that was so wild it was rated NC-17!

Read more about the film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/10/the-brilliant-killer-joe-mcconaugheys-hat-trick-plus-friedkins-wang-chung/

Friedkin released his autobiography, and it’s a terrific read as well. Another brilliant Director also has an amazing body of work, including this dark dark DARK comedy with Robert DeNiro:

4 – “The King Of Comedy”

This 1982 film was trashed when released, but is now considered a prescient masterpiece….first, see the trailer:

Robert DeNiro gives a great performance as Rupert Pupkin, a delusional comedian who will do whatever it takes to become famous.

Scorsese’s masterpiece also starred Jerry Lewis as a late night Talk Show Host who meets Pupkin – and everything escalates from there.

In a world of “instant celebrity” – as well as being “Famous for being famous”, this movie, 25 years ago, captured this world before anyone could imagine how real it would become.

There was an anniversary screening lately – and a new blu-ray with tons of great extras – check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/25/the-king-of-comedy-goes-blu-amazing-extras-scorsese-grills-pupkin/

Another legendary Director is next up on the list – Sam Peckinpah directed “The Wild Bunch”, “The Getaway” with Steve McQueen, and this 1975 action thriller starring James Caan and Robert Duvall:

3 – “The Killer Elite”

James Caan is great a government Agent who’s betrayed by a co-worker, Robert Duvall. Check out the vintage trailer:

Duvall and Caan are both great, and there are several terrific action sequences as well – Peckinpah was known for his “ballet of violence” – and you can see more about him here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/05/the-wild-bunch-billy-the-kid-sam-packinpahs-soup-tossing/

A step away from Hollywood – very far away from Hollywood – like the middle of the Pacific Ocean!

2 – “Kon-Tiki”

Adventurer Thor Heyerdahl decided to see if South American explorers could have travelled more than 4,000 miles from Peru to settle islands in the South Pacific. So he did it! Here is the trailer:

The Kon-Tiki expedition led by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl happened in 1947, and the documentary was released in the United States in 1951. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

It’s a fascinating trip, with footage shot by the team while on the ocean!

Back on dry land, here is my last film with a “K”, and it’s one of the most under-rated comedies ever – about bowling!

1 – “Kingpin”

After “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary”, the Farrelly Brothers win streak continued with this hilarious 1996 bowling film, starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray.

Here is the trailer:

Harrelson is Roy Munson, who loses his chance at bowling stardom when he loses his hand!

Redemption comes via Randy Quaid, who plays Ishmael – who is Amish and sneaks away from the farm to bowl.

Ultimately, they go up against champion bowler Ernie McCracken, played with a brilliant deadpan and magical comb-over by Bill Murray.

ESPN Announcer: So Roy, where have you been for the last fifteen years?
Roy: Well, I uh, well, ya see, I uh… Drinking. Lot a drinking.
ESPN Announcer: I see. Well, are you still drinking?
Roy: No. I uh… I put… uh… Why, you buying?

There is SO much to love about “Kingpin”: terrific acting, hilarious set pieces, memorable characters, and of course, BOWLING…see more great bowling films here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/04/14/kingpins-slimeballs-the-dude-lets-go-bowling-in-the-movies/

There is a list of ten great movies that begin with “K” – and of course there are many more…also, if you missed my list of “J” movies, you didn’t see my love for this gem:

Yes, “Jackass!” Hilariously funny and profane – just one of the movies beginning with a “J” – and you can see them all here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/14/hey-jackass-movies-with-a-j-have-jaws-for-sushi-john-wick-steve-jobs-show-me-the-j/

I have missed a ton of great movies on my “Movies A-Z” list, like this great film:

That’s right – “Boogie Nights” is one of my all-time favorite movies, but it wasn’t on my “B” list! However, here are the films that DID make my lists of “A-F” movies – check them out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/04/classic-movies-a-f-sixty-great-movies-with-one-thing-in-common-the-alphabet/

Let me know your favorite film with a “K”!

Welcome To Malibu!

It’s another gorgeous day in Malibu, as the waves crash against the California shoreline – and people are eagerly anticipating the solar eclipse…

The pacific ocean seemed to want to get into the celebration, for we saw some of the biggest waves in Malibu ever – loud and huge….

Because of the upcoming full moon, the waves are larger than usual, and the high tide created some amazing water action at the steps leading to the beach!

Here is a video I took of the waves having a good time as the high tide approached:

The waves have been amazingly strong here, and I could literally watch them for hours…but I decided to get a bit closer for some shots of the waves crashing into the bulkhead…leading to this shot that ended up all over me! Yes, at the end of this video, I found myself right in the path of the spray…

Water In The Movies!

My sister-in-law Lauren told me I needed to showcase great movie moments that took place on the beach, and here are a couple – beginning with this woman, who sees something in the water…

Yes, “Bruce” the shark terrorizes beachgoers in Steven Spielberg’s thriller “Jaws” – talk about a stampede!

Forty-two years later, this shark still shocks movie lovers, but for some reason, Spielberg never seemed that nervous about his villain:

If you want to read more great trivia about this classic film, click here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/23/jaws-42-years-ago-cinema-was-changed-forever-time-to-celebrate-bruce-the-great-white/

Sometimes, the only things you need to make a beach moment iconic is to just step out of the water:

Halle Berry did just that in 2002’s “Die Another Day” as NSA operative Jinx. As EW noted:

“In the grand tradition of Bond girls — most notably Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in 1962’s “Dr. No” — Berry rocked a bikini to make a showstopping entrance on the beach.”

Yes, Andress made quite the entrance in the first 007 movie – did you know her nickname was Ursula “UNDRESS?”

See more about her “casual relationship with clothing” by reading my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/03/28/ursula-andress-or-undress-007s-first-bond-girl-60s-sex-kitten-frolicked-with-nature/

Another iconic movie moment was the first time you got to see Daryl Hannah in her “natural state” in “Splash”:

This movie moment from 1984 helped make “Splash” a big splash at the box office.

But enough of women partially clothed – how about the same with Ralph Macchio?

Yes, “The Karate Kid” has a memorable beachside training scene, where Macchio works on his balance while developing his “crane technique”!

OK, that’s not fair…going back to 007, let’s all remember when Daniel Craig did his “Bond Girl moment” in “Casino Royale”:

My wife Alex told me that was the fair thing to do – I’m sure it had NOTHING to do with how 007 looks in a bathing suit…

Alex also reminded me of the last shot in “The Shawshank Redemption” – when two old friends reunite in Zihuatenajo…as well as scenes in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, when Mila Kunis dares Jason Segal to jump from a cliff into the Pacific Ocean…it doesn’t go well for him…

But forget all that – the greatest movie moment involving water is actually this amazing TV moment!

The Origin Of “Jumping The Shark!”

Yes, the TV series “Happy Days” inadvertently created a new catchphrase in season 5 when Henry Winkler – as “the Fonz” – and wearing a leather jacket – jumps over a shark on water skis!

A new catchphrase was created that signals the moment when a TV show or movie goes in such a ridiculously wrong direction that it “jumps the shark!”

But time to end on a serious note. This is one moment that has to be mentioned, for good reason.

That’s because the single most iconic beach moment in all time in cinema is “From Here To Eternity”!

This illicit moment, in which the adulterous lovers kiss like there’s no tomorrow, was originally written with them standing up; it was reportedly Lancaster’s idea to shoot it lying down, with water washing over them!

While this moment may have conjured up all sorts of thoughts of intimacy and isolation, making a movie is anything but that, as the behind-the-scenes shot of the moment shows:

Talk About Lack Of Privacy!

Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr has no time to themselves for this scene, which is considered the greatest beach scene of all time.

It was nicely parodied in a number of movies, my favorite being “Airplane!” Their romantic time on the beach left them just a bit more “kelp-covered!”

Even animated movies got into the act, as the scene was parodied in “Shrek!”

Let me know what iconic beach scenes I forgot – time to get wet and wild in the cinema!

RIP Jerry Lewis…

RIP to comic legend Jerry Lewis, who died at the age of 91…one of comedy’s biggest movie stars in the 50’s and 60’s, he was known for smash comedy hits such as “The Nutty Professor” and “Cinderfella”, and was also wellknown as Dean Martin’s sidekick when they made films and toured as Martin & Lewis…

There are so many places you can go online to read all about his brilliant – and volatile career – so, I wanted to focus on two moments in his career that stand out, for very different reasons…

Jerry Lewis IS Jerry Langford!

In 1982, Lewis gave a mesmerizing performance as Jerry Langford, the late night talk show King – his version of Johnny Carson – who is stalked by wannabe comic Rupert Pupkin, played by Robert DeNiro…

The Prescient “King”!

“The King Of Comedy” is a brilliant film – with an equally brilliant performance by Sandra Bernhard as well – the film was a box office bomb upon release that continues to grow in stature over the years…directed by Martin Scorsese, it foretold the era of “Famous for being famous”, as Pupkin’s fame comes not for his comedic ability, but for making headlines….this brilliant film was recently afforded a new blu-ray release and a big reunion on stage…

Robert De Niro just released a statement about Jerry’s death:

“Jerry was a pioneer in comedy and film. And he was a friend. I was fortunate to have seen him a few times over the past couple of years. Even at 91, he didn’t miss a beat… Or a punchline. You’ll be missed.”

This reunion is part of the blu-ray release, and worth getting to watch all of the extra material included:

You can read more about the event here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/25/the-king-of-comedy-goes-blu-amazing-extras-scorsese-grills-pupkin/

Jerry Lewis was polarizing, there is no doubt about that – but perhaps his most misguided creative effort was “The Day The Clown Cried”:

The Unseen “Clown!”

This film was shot in the early 70’s but never released – and virtually NEVER SEEN – it’s one of Hollywood’s most legendary “lost films”…it was his attempt to make a serious film about the holocaust – portraying a concentration camp clown who had to lead the small children to their deaths…

The overwhelmingly negative reaction to just hearing about the film made him lock it up forever, never to be seen – and legends have been built up around the movie – is it amazingly misguided or unjustly shamed – and a masterpiece! It is hard to know, as very few people have seen it – but for many, there may have been a grossly unfair reaction to the movie:

Jerry Lewis was trying to make a statement – trying to tackle drama, since he was one of the biggest comic stars of the 60’s…and in hindsight, while a seemingly misguided idea for a film, the plot isn’t that much different from an award-winning film that Comedian Roberto Benigni made in the 1990’s:

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, Roberto Benigni, Giorgio Cantarini, 1998, conversation in concentration camp barracks

In 1997, Italian comic Benigni made “Life Is BeautifuL”, the story of a father and son in a concentration camp, and how the father attempts to keep the horrors of war away from his child – by making life inside the concentration camp a game…

The film won a slew of Oscars, including Benigni for Best Actor, so perhaps Lewis was misjudged, but since his film hasn’t ever been shown in public, we will never know…if you want to know more about this project, you can see my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/08/11/lost-jerry-lewis-footage-found-the-day-the-clown-cried-surfaces/

RIP Jerry Lewis – a brilliant Comedian, Actor and Filmmaker…

I AM BRILLIANT.

There. I said it. Well, I DIDN’T – but so many others have – hundreds of people telling me just how great I am – yes, it’s time for a funny trip through my blog spam!

People Love My Boas!

Let’s begin here: I didn’t even realize I HAD feather boas, but I got a blog comment to one of my movie posts with this boa update – and question:

“Arranged your budget for any feather boa. How much are you prepared to shell out for the feather boa?”

I’m as confused as you, and have NO idea how much I want to “shell out for the feather boa”, but it made me laugh…in fact, a search through my spam folder was a joyous trip of wonder and amusement.

Need Auto Insurance – Cheap?

No one wants to get in an accident, but if you are covered by insurance, all is good – you just need to find the best deal – and where better than online?

There are literally hundreds of comments in my spam file under various “cheap auto insurance” banners, and they all tell me how great I am:

Here are some of my favorite comments in my spam, all from “cheap auto insurance” websites:

It’s like you’re on a mission to save me time and money!

Never would have thunk I would find this so indispensable.

Your website has to be the electronic Swiss army knife for this topic.

Life is short, and this article saved valuable time on this Earth.

Now I know who the brainy one is, I’ll keep looking for your posts.

Some of them are better than anything I could make up, like this one:

“This information is off the hizool!”

And in case being “off the hizool” isn’t enough, how about his patriotic compliment:

This might just be my favorite spam comment of all:

“Free knowledge like this doesn’t just help, it promote democracy. Thank you.”

Wow. I am touched. Touched ALMOST as much as I was then I got an email telling me I had won millions!

The best part was this: the note was sent from a 4.3 inch tall Attorney! Click here to see more!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/07/11/urgent-e-mail-to-me-worlds-shortest-attorney-has-millions-funniest-spam-and-weng-weng-too/

You can only imagine how touched I was…let me know some of your wildest spam notes!

bacon spam

Get Ready To Turn Your Cheeseburger “Inside Out?”

I need a break from bad news…here is some breaking food news from Japan!

J.S. Burgers Cafe in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district offers up a wild wild take on a cheeseburger – by turning it inside out!

Bite Down On “The Super Cheese Burger!”

As always, “RocketNews24.com” has the delicious story – a burger that uses cheese as a bun, with more cheese and meat inside – and it’s a very unique type of cheese as well!

The Camembert Burger!

Here’s how RocketNews24 describes this unique “inside out” burger:

“The Super Cheese Burger uses two types of cheese, cheddar and camembert. But rather than slather both of those on the patty, where they’d mix together into a single hybrid cheese, the restaurant’s chefs came up with a revolutionary way to let both types of cheese keep their distinct flavors: by putting two thick wedges of camembert on the absolute top and bottom of the sandwich, where the halves of the bun would ordinarily be.”

Looks good to me!

As you can see, when RocketNews24 did a taste test, they got a juicy, delicious cheeseburger served in a wrapper, so your hands stay clean as you dig in to what they called a great tasty cheeseburger!

As always, the entire story can be found here, along with so many other great stories about Japan –

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2017/08/19/crazy-tokyo-cheeseburger-turns-concept-inside-out-with-cheese-on-the-outside-bread-on-the-inside/

There are many reasons to love RocketNews24, which officially calls itself SoraNews24 – either way, they continually break stories like this one:

Behold the “Impaled Quarter Pounder!”

That’s right, they had the latest food fada mong those wacky kids in Japan – eating their McDonald’s burger impaled on they drink straws!

Check out more pics here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/07/25/impaled-cheeseburgers-on-a-straw-see-pics-of-japans-new-food-mania/

Let me know if you’d eat an “inside out” cheeseburger!

Daryl Hall And John Oates – The Music Continues!

Getting ready for the postponed concert by dipping into the back catalogue of a great singing duo – in fact, the best-selling duo in music history!

H & O have sold more than 40-million albums, and have six #1 hits – part of the 30+ singles that landed on the Billboard “Top 100” chart so far in their career.

I wanted to look at their music through a slightly different filter – by sharing the first song on five different albums from their career…each offered some insight into the style and tone of the boys at the time…so let’s get started!

1 – “When The Morning Comes” from “Abandoned Luncheonette”.

In 1973, Daryl Hall and John Oates released their second album, “Abandoned Luncheonette.” As John said:

“Recording that album was where we learned how songs become records. Our producer, the legendary Arif Mardin carefully crafted each song, every bit of nuance, bringing in the perfect players for the right moments. And it all worked together as one beautiful musical tapestry.”

The album is full of great songs, starting with the very first track…

“When The Morning Comes” was written by Daryl Hall, and it’s an upbeat, breezy folk/pop song that immediately gave listeners an idea of how great the duo sounded together…here is a live performance of the song:

“She’s Gone” – Comeback Of The Year (3 To Be Exact!)

Daryl and John’s second album was a big hit, thanks to the iconic “She’s Gone” – but ready for this trivia? That song wasn’t a hit when first released – it finally broke big 3 years later when it was re-released – and went to #7 on the charts!

I love their harmonies, which are front and center on this opening track:

2 – “Back Together Again” from the album “Bigger Than Both Of Us!”

Their fifth album from 1976 also included their first #1 hit single!

“Bigger Than Both Of Us” has a couple of great album tracks: “Kerry” and “London, Luck & Love”, but the album gets off to a great start with the song “Back Together Again”, written by Joan Oates.

Here is a great “Top Pop” studio performance from the time – seems lip-synched but either way they look great:

The Boys Go To The Top Of The Charts!

Daryl Hall and John Oates had their first #1 hit single from the album: “Rich Girl” – which is still one of their most iconic hits – and the album also included the great song “Do What You Want, Be What You Are”.

Time now for a more controversial choice – a song I love that H&O don’t!

4 – “Don’t Change” from “Beauty On A Back Street”

This 1977 album was the duo’s sixth studio release, and it didn’t sell well at all – intact, it had no hit singles at all!

According to wikipedia, both Daryl Hall AND John Oates claim to hate this album, and their compilation box sets do not include any songs from this album at all – which is too bad, because I like the opening track “Don’t Change” a lot!

Perhaps the album’s poor sales – and the alleged H&O hatred – is why I was unable to find any live recordings of the opening track, so here is the album track (audio only) for “Don’t Change”:

It’s a beautiful song that perhaps is marred by an overly aggressive guitar, that adds an unnecessary edge to it. In fact, the whole album has that problem, which could have been one reason for the poor showing.

“The Emptiness” and “Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts” were the closest thing to singles from he album, and the song “Bigger Than Both Of Us”, which was the name of their PREVIOUS album, is also on here…well, I really like this song even if they don’t!

Time to jump ahead – after this poor showing, Hall and Oates bounced back in a big big way in the 80’s, including this opening track that was one of their biggest hits:

4 – “Dance On Your Knees / Out Of Touch” from Big Bam Boom!

By the mid-80’s, Hall & Oates had a string of hits like “Kiss On My List”, “Private Eyes” and “Maneater” – they were on a creative roll when 1984’s “Big Bam Boom” released, with the leadoff track hitting #1 on the charts:

I love it because it’s attached to a funky groove called “Dance On Your Knees”…most of which was incorporated into the music video, which you can see here:

“Method Of Modern Love”, “Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid” and “Possession Obsession” are also on this album…another huge hit for the boys…

By the end of the decade, the hits were still coming, while the songwriting style was becoming more nuanced and reflective…

“There’s a restless look in your eye tonight…”

5- “So Close” From “Change Of Season”

Those lyrics are from “So Close”, the first track from their 14th studio album, 1990’s “Change Of Season”…a song that was so good it’s on the album twice!

“So Close” was written by Daryl Hall and George Green, with additional music by Jon Bon Jovi and Danny Kortchmar. It sounds a lot like the first song I highlighted, a real “Abandoned Luncheonette” vibe…

The song actually closes out the album as well, with a much more acoustic version at the end – so their terrific music video combines them both to incredible effect…beginning with the slower version, then kicking into the faster-paced hit single – here it is:

FYI, the title track “Change of Season” is also a great song and was written by John Oates and Bobby Mayo…

There you have it – 5 great songs to kick off 5 great Daryl Hall and John Oates albums.

One other great album opener is the funky “Downtown Life” from “ooh Yeah!”

I’m still amazed that “Downtown Life” wasn’t a big hit – but it’s a great album track! Here are more of my favorite album tracks from Daryl Hall & John Oates:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/15/hall-oates-classic-music-great-hooks-the-greatest-hall-oates-album-cuts/

Let me know your favorite H&O Songs!

As you can see, James Caan didn’t mind being shot up in “The Godfather”, one of the greatest films of all time – and one of ten great movies that began with “G”!

I’ve been counting down the greatest movies from “A-Z”, sharing ten movies from each letter of the alphabet – here is a recap and links to each letter if you want to catch up.

“The Godfather” is of course on the “G” list, and you can click here to see the other nine:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/05/g-is-for-gangsters-gotcha-and-a-b-c-too-my-movie-celebration-continues-with-classic-g-films/

The letter “H” gave me a chance to celebrate one of the greatest action films of all time – but a classic 70’s film with a wickedly sharp script by Paddy Chafesky!

Director John Woo made two the greatest action films of all time: “The Killer” and “Hard-Boiled”, both with Chow Yun-Fat – this image of the Actor holding one of his co-stars from “Hard-Boiled” kicks off ten great movies with an “H” – see the others here, including Paddy Chayefsky’s “The Hospital!”

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/08/hard-boiled-movies-with-an-h-my-a-z-classic-movie-list-continues-with-heartbreak-and-helldrivers/

The letter “I” was full of intrigue – and a very obscure Robert Altman film from the 70’s:

Susannah York starred in Director Robert Altman’s moody thriller “Images” – one of ten great films with an “I” – here are the rest:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/12/wild-movies-with-an-i-these-i-films-are-shocking-sexy-oscar-winners/

“J” is an easy letter for one reason alone – the greatest thriller starring a shark!

Steven Spielberg was having some fun with Bruce the shark on the set of “Jaws”, but the shoot was anything but easy – see more great trivia from “Jaws” and nine other films with a “J” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/14/hey-jackass-movies-with-a-j-have-jaws-for-sushi-john-wick-steve-jobs-show-me-the-j/

I love ribald comedy, and there is a film that begins with the letter “K” that is one of my favorites:

Yes, “Big Jim Slade!”

If you know who this is, then you know one of the funniest films ever made: “Kentucky Fried Movie” is hilarious – and one of ten great “K” movies – click here to see why!

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/19/killer-movies-with-a-k-my-movies-a-z-has-kung-fu-killers-and-catholic-high-school-girls-in-trouble/

Finally, the letter “L” is chock full of classic films, including one of my favorite whodunnits of all time!

An all-star cast delivers a wickedly funny murder mystery thriller from the minds of Composer Stephen Sondheim and Actor Tony Perkins!

“The Last of Shiela” heads up an amazing list of films beginning with “L” – see them here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/22/a-massive-list-of-l-movies-my-movies-a-z-hits-the-cinema-motherlode/

If you want to go back further, I also have a “catchup” list of movies from “A-F” as well:

Yes, Frances McDormand wants you to “halt right there” and look at my list of great movies from “A-F” by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/04/classic-movies-a-f-sixty-great-movies-with-one-thing-in-common-the-alphabet/

Now that you are caught up, more great letters of the alphabet coming soon – next up, the letter “M” – here’s a sneak peek – stop pointing that knife!

Welcome To Tokyo’s Busiest Intersection!

Of the many wonders of Tokyo, perhaps the most enjoyable is a trip to the iconic “Shibuya crossing” – the world’s busiest intersection!

It’s almost impossible to capture the energy and organized chaos of crossing this street – an intersection that fills with people every two minutes all day and night in Tokyo!

My wife Alex and son Jeff headed to Tokyo last year, and Ive shared many of those adventures – but I also wanted to share some pictures and video of our time in Shibuya Crossing, where crowds of people cross the street in an bit of organized mayhem that is legendary:

As I’ve said, even though it’s amazingly crowded at all hours of the day and night, it’s not claustrophobic – and people are in great spirits everywhere you turn! We loved taking pictures and videos there, including this panorama shot at night:

One of the best spots to capture the fun is from the second story window at Starbucks, which overlooks the crossing -there’s some great movie trivia about this sport – which I will share in a moment – first, grab a seat:

From this vantage point, you can see the entire intersection – here is a look at the crossing from above, and yes, I know this nice Japanese kid’s head is in the shot but don’t worry I zoom in at some point:

I also shot some video from ground level – even though there are throngs of people, it’s quiet – Tokyo isn’t a loud city…

I also filmed at the Shibuya crossing with G4 – and Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn danced with the “Dancing Stormtrooper” in the middle of the intersection!

You can see that story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/25/olivia-munn-from-g4s-aots-to-x-men-olivias-ninja-warrior-run/

For many, they saw Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya crossing up close for the first time in the great Bill Murray comedy “Lost In Translation” with Scarlett Johansson:

This is one of my favorite movies, beautifully directed by Sofia Coppola – here is some great trivia about making the movie – they “stole” the Shibuya shots!

That’s right, on the DVD, they reveal they had no permits to film, they just stole the wide shot from that Starbucks window I was at!

See more great “Lost In Translation” trivia here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/30/lost-in-translation-the-magic-of-bill-murrays-tokyo-neon-magic-shibuya-to-you-too/

The streets are very crowded in Tokyo, but there’s no jostling or shoving – it’s an incredibly polite, organized and quiet city- but there are a lot of people!

I stood on a corner in the Shinjuku district, waiting for the light to turn green, and this is what I saw – waiting to cross the street:

When you see this mass of humanity headed your way, you just have to stay alert and focused – it’s part of what makes Tokyo unique. Again, everyone is polite!

And this is what a subway train looks like in rush hour:

We were part of a late night mob scene in the subway at Shibuya, taking the short train ride back to the Shinjuku district…

Perhaps, like us, they were headed to the famous “Golden Gai” bar district – more than 280 tiny bars in just over three city blocks!

It was here that another magical thing happened: my son had befriended a bartender – not through talking, since they didn’t know each other’s language – but through music! That led to him grabbing his guitar and singing an original song to us! Check it out:

The Golden Gai district is amazing – see more of our adventures there by clicking on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/07/22/late-night-tokyo-live-music-potatoes-and-bacon-a-golden-gai-tokyo-adventure/

Lots of people and lots of fun in Tokyo – let me know if you’ve crossed Shibuya yourself!

RIP Tobe Hooper…

Another great Horror Film Director has passed away.

Tobe Hooper has died at the age of 74 – this film Director made two of the most popular films in the horror genre…

“They’re Here…”

Hooper directed the horror classic “Poltergeist”, the 1982 ghost story produced by Steven Spielberg. An unfortunate rumor has hung over this movie, suggesting Spielberg stepped in to direct some of it, a charge that has always been denied.

Hooper also directed one of the greatest horror films of all time – one that helped usher in a new wave of realism into the genre:

Hooper wrote “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” with Kim Henkel, based loosely on the horrific crimes of Ed Gein – it’s widely considered one of the greatest horror films of all time.

Check out the iconic trailer:

What A Classic Shocker!

Director Hooper offered up a new vision of horror in 1974, when his film was so raw that many people thought it was real!

The plot is simple: five teenagers in a car have a couple of strange encounters before ending up at an old family home…where the horror begins!

Say Hello To “Leatherface!”

Gunnar Hansen played “Leatherface”, one of the most shocking characters in movie history – the “raw” feel of the movie made it almost impossible to watch – especially when they are invited to the family “dinner”…

According to the great IMDB website, Director Tobe Hooper claims to have gotten the idea for the film while standing in the hardware section of a crowded store. While thinking of a way to get out through the crowd, he spotted the chainsaws!

Gunnar “Leatherface” Hansen hit his head on doorways and other objects several times during the shoot because the Leatherface mask severely limited his peripheral vision and the three-inch heels he wore made his 6’4″ frame too high to clear all obstacles!

Horrific – But No Blood!

The most shocking thing about “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is that it isn’t very bloody! As IMDB reports:

“This is because Tobe Hooper intended to make the movie for a “PG” rating, by keeping violence moderate, language mild, and having most of the horror implied offscreen rather than shown in great detail onscreen. However, this plan had actually backfired, and made the film even more horrifying. Because despite cutting and repeated submissions, the Ratings Board insisted on an “X” rating!”

In 1979, Hooper directed the TV adaptation of Stephen King’s classic vampire novel “Salem’s Lot” – and it’s terrific as well…

This sad news comes after we lost another great Horror Director recently, George Romero…here is a look at his career:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/07/16/rip-george-romero-the-revelatory-horror-of-night-of-the-living-dead/

It’s a shock to lose two great pioneers in the genre so soon…

RIP Tobe Hooper…

Welcome To The Top Of The Forest!

Imagine standing on top of this – a real “birdseye” view! What a unique structure, built in the forest outside of Copenhagen, Denmark – it’s an adventure camp like no other!

This new tourist destination is outside of Copenhagen – one of the most amazing things I’ve seen – whether you just want to relax among the trees like this:

Or if you want to take the corkscrew walk to the top of the forest – imagine going for this walk – ending up high above the forest!

This is a unique adventure camp! Bravo to Camp Adventure for their amazing adventure in and above the forest!

As their website describes it:

“The tower consists of a 600m internal ramp (that’s almost 2,000 feet high). It takes you from the forest floor, through the treetops culminating with a 360° view of the hilly landscape, characteristic for the region. The ramp keeps a fixed gradient, while the geometry and spacing of the ramp fluctuates according to the changing curvature. All 7750 timber boards originate from local forests.”

Really terrific!

You can see more here:

http://campadventure.dk/en/

It’s just one of the many things that makes Denmark a “must see” for adventure travelers:

Yes, the “Little Mermaid” resides in Copenhagen, as well as one of the most unique hippie colonies of all, Christiania –

Denmark is one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been – see more of that adventure here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/01/19/blondes-bikes-hippies-mermaids-amazing-copenhagen-denmark/

Just an hour away by plane is another of Europe’s amazing adventures:

Yes, Amsterdam still has a windmill or two, as well as a very relaxed attitude toward personal enjoyment – with a fascinating red light district:

You can see more of what makes Amsterdam unique here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/13/amsterdam-windmills-mayonaise-fries-red-lights-and-baked-goods/

Let me know if you’d climb up the corkscrew observatory!

Let’s Go To The Movies!

My second home is a movie palace: a place to escape, to explore, to dream, and to get a raised heartbeat due to stuff like this:

Yes, “killer go go dancers” are always an important part of any movie – and in this edition of “Movies A-Z”, I have those naughty go-go dance killers for you, plus many more “M” movies to share – so let’s get going with a classic slice of blaxploitation!

10 – “The Mack”

The “blaxploitation” genre includes many great films like “Super Fly” and “Foxy Brown” – and one of the founders of the genre was Max Julien, who made a great film about “The Mack” – check out the trailer:

This was the first time I’d seen Richard Pryor in a movie, and he is great – you can see how he commands the screen, even in a supporting role.

If you are unfamiliar with the “blaxploitation” genre, here is a great place to start your film education:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/04/25/the-mack-sweet-sweetback-blacula-blaxploitation-lives/

If you know the question “why are you so unpopular with the Chicago police department?”, then you know one of the great comedy action films:

9 – “Midnight Run”

Robert DeNiro showed his comedic chops as a Bounty Hunter who has a VERY difficult client – here is the trailer:

While not a huge hit when released in 1988, “Midnight Run” has gotten a reputation as one of the funniest action films ever – and now there is a new remastered special edition on blu-ray – read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/28/fistophobia-the-brilliant-but-neglected-buddy-action-comedy-midnight-run/

Next up is the first film rated “V” for violence!

8 – “Mark Of The Devil”

There is a category of film in the 70’s known as “Euro-sleaze”, exploitation films from central and eastern Europe that pushed the envelope for sex and violence….and “Mark Of The Devil” may be one of the most shocking – check out the trailer:

This film was released widely in the US in 1970, and the “gimmick” was a free “vomit bag” for everyone who attended!

See more about this wacky movie stunt here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/04/classic-movie-gimmicks-mark-of-the-devil-vomit-bags-censored-movie-madness/

Another gritty exploitation classic was released in 1981 – the shocking revenge thriller from Director Abel Ferrera!

7 – “Ms. 45”

Zoe Lund starred as a young mute woman who is assaulted in New York – and she decides to fight back!

Here is the trailer:

Zoe Lund made her movie debut in this controversial thriller – a sort of female version of “Death Wish” – she is mesmerizing to watch in the film – which is raw and gritty – and her real life story was tragic…you can read more about her here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/17/ms-45-a-stunning-movie-debut-for-zoe-lund-the-shocking-true-hollywood-heroin-death-of-a-great-young-actress/

Next up on the “M” list is one of the most imaginative, exhilarating movie musicals of all time – thanks to visionary Director Baz Luhrmann!

6 – “Moulin Rouge”

Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor star as ill-fated lovers who meet at the legendary Moulin Rouge theater in Paris – here is the trailer:

“Moulin Rouge” is, without a doubt, one of the most creative films ever released.

The dance numbers are amazing – the camera never stops, and the cast has so much energy – also, Luhrmann used a unique blend of modern and classic music for the soundtrack, and the dance numbers – so get ready for a mashup of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit!”

I just re-watched this recently with my wife and it holds up as fresh as when we first saw it.

Next up is a surreal dark comedy from England – starring legendary Actor Peter Sellers – and a real life Beatle!

5 – “The Magic Christian”

This is one of the darkest of black comedies from England in 1969 – with Sellers a wealthy eccentric who likes to use money to play with people…and Beatles drummer Ringo Starr as a homeless man who he adopts! First, check out the trailer:

This is a very dark comedy with many surreal touches, and Sellers and Ringo are great together.

The movie is star-studded, with John Cleese, Yul Brynner and Raquel Welch among the stars making cameo appearances, and Paul McCartney wrote the title track “Come And Get It!”

See that video – and more, by clicking on the story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/02/ringo-starr-the-fab-fours-magic-christian-madness-raquel-welch-dominatrix-great-solo-music/

How about this next film – endorsed by The President and Vice President Of The United States!

4 – “Mantis In Lace”

I LOVE that President Obama and Vice President Biden were photographed at a burger bar with the “Mantis In Lace” poster in plain sight! Talk about free advertising!

This is one wacky exploitation flick – which was originally known as “LILA”, and here is the original trailer for it:

This is one of those early exploitation films that promises a LOT more then it shows – but has energy and creativity that makes it a really fun “time capture” – one of many of that era – you can see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/06/06/psycho-go-go-dancers-delinquent-schoolgirls-and-candy-snatchers-more-70s-grindhouse/

From “grindhouse” to “the Oscars”, this list of “M” movies has them all!

3 – “Midnight Cowboy”

The Best Picture of 1969, “Midnight Cowboy” is the gritty drama about an unlikely friendship between wannabe male hustler Joe Buck, and streetwise hustler Ratso Rizzo…here is the trailer:

This is a brilliant, challenging film – with Dustin Hoffman’s classic line:

“I’m Walking’ Here!”

By the way, that iconic line was ad-libbed! It’s also the only X-rated film to win Best Picture – see more great trivia about his film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/07/x-rated-butter-cowboys-droogs-oscars-x-flirtation/

Time to head overseas for one of the wildest new genres in film – “J-sploitation!”

2 – “The Machine Girl”

“J-sploitation” is another genre of film that is worth exploring.

Japanese exploitation films usually involve a young woman who is abused, who then gets the ultimate revenge against her attackers in very bloody ways….check out the trailer:

These films are mostly over-the-top action spectacle with lots of blood, but in a cartoonish way – really wild films – see them all here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/14/mutant-girls-toilet-zombies-japans-wild-female-ninjas-bloody-j-sploitation-fun/

I will wrap up my “M” list with one of my favorite movies of all time, with an incredible performance by the legendary Peter O’ Toole:

1 – “My Favorite Year”

Richard Benjamin directed this affectionate tribute to the early days of live television – here is the trailer:

This hilarious look at life behind-the-scenes of a live weekly TV show is great fun – and also warm and surprisingly emotional as well – and Peter O’ Toole chews up the scenery as the over-the-hill action star who agrees to do the show to get the IRS off his back!

See more about this legendary “hell raiser” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/07/10/peter-otoole-retires-a-look-at-this-hellraiser/

There you go, ten great films with the letter “M” – now, if you’ve missed any of my previous letters, you can catch up:

Alan Alda’s just hanging around wait for you to check out my list of movies from “A-F” – which you can see here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/04/classic-movies-a-f-sixty-great-movies-with-one-thing-in-common-the-alphabet/

Now, if you want to see what I shared for the letter G-L, you can go here, and remember: the horse’s head was real!

Yes, that trivia is just one of the reasons to check out my “G-L” list of sixty great movies here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/25/from-godfathers-to-stephen-sondheim-my-list-of-movies-g-l-are-sixty-cinema-classics/

Let me know who you love from “M” – like Jimmy Serano!

Need A Hot Dog Couch?

It’s a stupid question I know, because EVERYONE needs a hot dog couch!

Now, if that isn’t enough fast food leisure for you:

How About A Hamburger Seat?

Of course you do! My friend Barbara sent me these pics, because she knew I’d love them – imagine having a rec room where you can invite friends to lounge on your fast food…I love it!

Barbara found this at Curbed, so bravo to them for their story!

See more pics at Curbed.com here:

https://www.curbed.com/2017/8/23/16188716/hotdog-sofa-hamburger-chair-studio-job-seletti-furniture

I have some history with these “food chairs” – since my wife had a cheeseburger chair in her office!

Yes, I tried to take it one day, because it’s very comfortable! Not only that, I like to wear a cheeseburger sometimes as well:

Yes, this is the single greatest item of clothing I’ve ever seen…and around Halloween, people get crazy as well:

If that’s your thing, here is a look at some of the wildest cheeseburger clothing:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/19/halloween-cheeseburger-costumes-hamburger-nikes-cheeseburger-cats-taco-babies/

And if you want something delicious to sleep in, try this:

A Bacon Bed To Call Your Own!

I’d spend all day in bed if I could lounge in bacon – see more wacky bacon products here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/01/10/wild-bacon-burger-plus-bacon-beds-more-wacky-bacon-madness/

Let me know if you want some “fast food” furniture!

The Best Fried Chicken Sandwich You Will Ever Taste!

I didn’t want to bury my lead, so here is the most amazing sandwich you will ever eat – oh, except of course for this one:

A Fried Bologna Sandwich!

Yes, perhaps the only sandwich BETTER than the fried chicken sandwich is this one – and guess what: I had them both! Here is the incredible fried bologna sandwich with the chicken lingering in the background – so where did I get these?

Welcome To Chicago’s Roister!

These two amazing sandwiches – and so much more – come from Chicago’s Roister restaurant, from one of America’s greatest Chefs!

The brilliant Chicago Chef Grant Achatz has the three-Michelin starred Alinea, as well as the “always changing” themes at his restaurant NEXT. Now, Achatz has opened a casual restaurant in Chicago’s Fulton Market district that has some of the most incredible food you can imagine – and you watch them make it up close!

The design of the Roister restaurant puts the kitchen centerstage – which allows you to watch the inspiration being created – and now, the restaurant is open for lunch as well. This is another way to go on a great culinary adventure at a great price!

Brilliant Chef Grant Achatz was fully involved in the creation of Roister – we saw him there one night at dinner working in the kitchen – but with his other restaurants to run as well, he has turned the kitchen over to Chef Andrew Brochu – it’s a terrific menu with dishes like this:

Cue The Dancing Bonito Fries!

That’s right, these Yukon Gold fries, which are big meaty chunks of friend potatoes, are served Japanese-style. They are covered with razor-thin bonito flakes and a dusting of soy.

The bonito flakes dance atop the potatoes!

Chef Brochu said this in an interview about running Roister:

“Chef [Grant Achatz] has given me autonomy with the cuisine,” says Brochu, “and the food is everything I have done in my career and the things I’ve always wanted to do.”

That includes this take on Avocado toast, which we got as an appetizer:

As you can see, big chunks of perfectly ripe avocado, along with grapefruit wedges and smoky butter…delicious – and we jumped right into the superstar on the menu:

The Fried Chicken Sandwich!

This buttermilk-brined chicken thigh is perfectly cooked and coated – with crisp homemade pickles, sauce and shredded lettuce…and of course, their other sandwich on the menu is equally incredible:

Fried Bologna Sandwich!

The fried bologna sandwich is so packed with flavor, it’s hard to even explain it, except to show you how it looks when you cut it open:

These sandwiches are both under $15, so you can have a very reasonably priced lunch – and the tastes are amazing – and lunch is just the beginning.

As great as all of this food is for lunch, dinner is even better.

The signature chicken dish is served at dinner – it’s their amazing fried chicken served three ways!

Yes, that is a whole chicken served three ways: a brined chicken breast, some fried chicken pieces, a classic chicken salad, some chamomile flowers, and a creamy sunchoke sauce!

Bravo to the entire team at Roister, for great food, and a really fun, relaxed vibe…Chef Achatz creates some of the greatest food in the world:

This is “The Godfather” plate. A cannoli was on it – get it? “Leave the gun, take the cannoli”…it was part of their celebration of food in cinema…see more pics and videos here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/14/chicagos-next-restaurant-goes-hollywood-a-delicious-ode-to-the-magic-of-the-movies/

Chef Achatz creates some of the greatest meals I’ve ever experienced:

His Alinea restaurant in Chicago is one of the world’s best – here is what a meal there is like:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/01/alinea-the-worlds-most-inventive-restaurant-culinary-molecular-masterpiece/

Let me know if you’ve ever had Roister’s fried chicken sandwich!

Time To Celebrate Iconic Movie Images!

If you love movies, you also love iconic movie moments – like this shot of Cary Grant being chased by a small airplane…or this shot of an Anchorman who’s “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!”

Both of these images can be found in this edition of “Movies A – Z” as I share ten great movies starting with the letter “N” – let’s go!

10 – “No Country For Old Men”

In 2007, the Coen Brothers took him multiple Academy Awards for their dusty thriller that takes place along the Rio Grande river…when a hunter accidentally stumbles upon money left from a drug deal gone wrong…here is the trailer:

Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor, Joel and Ethan Coen won Best Adapted Screenplay and shared the Best Director Oscar – and the film took home the Academy Award as Best Picture Of The Year.

It’s a gritty, compelling look at evil, and Tommy Lee Jones is also terrific as the policeman who is old enough to have seen it all – and tired of what he’s seen. One of their many masterpieces.

You want to lighten the mood up a bit? Well, I’ve got the guy who can do just that:

9 – “Napoleon Dynamite”

Jon Heder created an iconic movie character the moment he struck this pose:

Napoleon Dynamite lives with his grandma and his 32-year-old brother in Idaho – the film documents his quirky life – and his attempt to help his friend Pedro win the Class President crown at school. Here is the trailer:

The movie is funny, offbeat and full of memorable lines like this:

Kid on Bus: What are you gonna do today, Napoleon?
Napoleon Dynamite: Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!

If your taste is for something more “EPIC” in tone, then you need to watch this Robert Altman masterpiece right now:

8 – “Nashville”

Here is the plot summary from IMDB:

“This movie tells the intersecting stories of various people connected to the music business in Nashville. Barbara Jean is the reigning queen of Nashville but is near collapse. Linnea and Delbert Reese have a shaky marriage and 2 deaf children. Opal is a British journalist touring the area. These and other stories come together in a dramatic climax.”

Check out the trailer:

“Nashville” was nominated for Best Picture and Director in 1975, as well as for Supporting Actresses Ronee Blakley and Lily Tomlin.

Actor Keith Carradine won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “I’m Easy” – here he is performing it in the film:

The Criterion Collection just released a special edition of this great film, so check it out!

Here’s another Best Picture nominee, this one from 1976:

7 – “Network”

One of the best and most incisive looks at the power of media – with one of the cinema’s most iconic lines:

“I’m Mad As Hell, And I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore!”

Peter Finch posthumously won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of a network news Anchorman who has a breakdown live on TV – check out the trailer:

William Holden and Faye Dunaway were both nominated as well, and Dunaway won for her portrayal as a “tough as nails” Network Executive who has no boundaries when creating hits…here is the iconic photo of her the following morning at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel:

A brilliant film that is so prescient – because TV News is now wildly out of control – take a look:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/31/political-chaos-2016-network-and-broadcast-news-nailed-it-this-town-confirms-the-shenanigans/

Another classic movie on the “N” list is from Director Alfred Hitchcock:

6 – “North By Northwest”

Cary Grant stars as a New York advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies – here is the trailer:

This film is filled with iconic images – Hitchcok was, of course, a master of suspense until he very end – here is a film he made in 1971:

You can read more about this modern, vicious thriller here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/09/frenzy-drowning-alfred-hitchcock-classic-movie-shocks/

OK, time to relax and have a laugh – and who better than Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts?

Original Cinema Quad Poster – Movie Film Posters

5 – “Notting Hill”

This is a charming romantic comedy set in London’s Notting Hill neighborhood, where a local bookstore owner happens to meet – and fall in love with – the most famous Actress in the world…here is the trailer:

Two of the world’s biggest stars in 1999 working together in a charming, funny and romantic movie – and for those who have seen it, my review came straight from the pages of “Horse & Hound!”

Here’s another warm romantic comedy – NOT!

4 – “Night Has A Thousand Desires”

Director Jess Franco directed his wife, Actress Lina Romay, in this 1984 surreal thriller about a woman who may or may not be killing people!

As always, Romay is mesmerizing onscreen – and as always, amazingly naked for much of the film – these two made dozens of movies together, and a new blu-ray release is filled with tons of extras – see them here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/06/night-has-a-thousand-desires-lina-romays-cult-classic-jess-francos-sex-shocker/

Here’s another movie shocker, from a great Director who sadly just passed away:

3 – “Night Of The Living Dead”

This ultra-low budget film changed horror movies forever – here is the original trailer:

Director George Romero risked everything when he made “Night Of The Living Dead”, and the list of filmmakers who have referenced its influence is large…sadly, Romero just passed away – here is a homage to his life:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/07/16/rip-george-romero-the-revelatory-horror-of-night-of-the-living-dead/

Ron Howard went from acting to Directing such great films as “Apollo 13” and “A Beautiful Mind”, but this was his first major studio effort:

2 – “Night Shift”

Howard’s “Happy Days” co-star Henry Winkler plays a timid Morgue Supervisor whose life is turned upside down when a new co-worker arrives….here is the trailer to this 1982 comedy:

Of course, Keaton decides to turn the morgue into a brothel!

Chuck Lumley: As we sit here and idly chat, there are woman, female human beings, rolling around in strange beds with strange men, and we are making money from that.
Bill Blazejowski: Is this a great country, or what?

“Night Shift” is a funny movie that made Michael Keaton a star…always fun to watch.

Finally, I love “film noir”, and I love Gene Hackman, so naturally this 1975 film would end up on my list:

1 – “Night Moves”

Gene Hackman stars as a Private Investigator sent to find an aging movie star’s granddaughter. Here is the trailer:

Melanie Griffith had her first major film role, and “Night Moves” was directed by Arthur Penn, who also made “Bonnie & Clyde” among many other great films…I love Gene Hackman as an Actor, and you can read about his ten greatest roles here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/30/happy-birthday-gene-hackman-ten-roles-that-defined-a-hollywood-legend/

There you go, a list of ten great films with the letter “N”!

If you want to see what showed up on earlier lists, there’s this classic poster from the letter “A”:

that’s just one of the films I covered in the alphabet – here’s a look at all of the movies from “A-F”:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/04/classic-movies-a-f-sixty-great-movies-with-one-thing-in-common-the-alphabet/

As the alphabet progressed, I tried to include some offbeat films as well as foreign films like this one:

John Woo’s action classic showed up on the “H” list, and here are all of the films from “G” to “L”:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/25/from-godfathers-to-stephen-sondheim-my-list-of-movies-g-l-are-sixty-cinema-classics/

Finally, the great character Actor Dennis Farina was in my list of “M” films, for his great comedic turn as Mobster Jimmy Serrano in “Midnight Run”:

You can see all of my movies that begin with an “M” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/29/classic-movies-with-an-m-the-mack-machine-girls-midnight-run-a-beatle-too/

Let me know your favorite from the letter “N”!

CELEBRATE LABOR DAY WITH A BACON MACARONI AND CHEESE CONE!

Talk about the perfect combination! Bacon and macaroni and cheese – served in a cone and ready to take on the go.

It’s just one way to mash up your favorite food – I also love this one:

Bacon-Wrapped Macaroni-n-Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf!

See what they did? A perfectly respectable meatloaf gets stuff with mac’n’cheese and then wrapped in bacon – have a slice or two and find nirvana…

It’s just the latest in food porn that has come my way, and leads to our quest to find the most outrageous – and perfectly reasonable – use of bacon….and that means finding room on your bacon cheeseburger for some macaroni and cheese as well:

I ate one of these, and it was as good as advertised!

And if you need a burger that doesn’t scrimp on the bacon, you can always try this one, made famous in Japan:

That’s a burger worth calling someone about!

You can also use bacon in a number of other unique ways as well:

The Bacon Oreo!

Yes, I shared this before, but a month later I am still getting this sent to me…it was all part of a post documenting the world’s wildest food…you know, like this:

The Ramen Burger!

A delicious new way to use ramen noodles…see more of these wacky food items from around the world here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/08/13/top-ten-wildest-food-ramen-burgers-a-fish-hot-dog/

I love when people send me wacky food pics, and many of you thought I didn’t see this:

This was posted originally by DisneyFoodBlog, and it was immediately sent to me by several people who know, accurately, how much I WOULD LOVE IT.

And they were right.

Of course, you can see so much more of this great food posting by checking out the terrific website yourself:

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com

And if you want to see more food madness, there are many great places to find cool burgers, but I love the websites that treat our burgers with dignity and respect, like this:

Behold The “Porknado!”

And of course, the website “Pornburger” is also amazing…and they continue to showcase incredibly tasty burger art as well…the “Porknado” is their latest burger masterpiece…following in such footsteps as this:

“The Horndog!”

Terrifically imaginative uses of food – beautifully art directed as well – read my entire article here!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/05/pornburgers-the-delicious-online-world-of-burger-food-porn/

Finally, here’s a burger that proudly takes the final step in the “whole burger” argument:

Yes, it’s a burger with a “burger bun!” All meat, all the time! See the recipe here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/29/a-burger-with-a-meat-bun-japans-all-meat-burger-with-instructions/

Let me know which of these creations would satisfy your food lust for today…

Watch Out For These “O” Movies!

This iconic image is from one of the most imaginative, and darkest movies ever – and of course, it begins with an “O”!

My “Movies A-Z” hits hard right off the top, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for 007, Charlton Heston, Jennifer Aniston and “my boy Blue!”

Remember, these aren’t in any order, just a list of my most enjoyable “O” movies.

One of the most intense revenge thrillers of all time gets us started:

10 – “Old Boy”

This 2003 South Korean thriller was directed by Park Chan-wook. It’s the twisted story of a drunken Businessman who wakes up in a locked hotel room – where he is kept for 15 years before being suddenly released! Why? Well, check out the trailer:

The signature sequence in the film is a four minute hallway fight scene – our protagonist armed only with a hammer – and the camera tracks the entire fight without a single edit!

The late film critic Roger Ebert said that “Oldboy” was:

“a powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare”.

Read more about this brilliant film, and other Asian classics, by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/06/30/killer-assassins-hard-boiled-killers-death-by-hammer-classic-asian-thrillers/

Next up, one of three sci-fi films starring the legendary Charlton Heston!

9 – “The Omega Man”

Charlton Heston is “the last man alive” in this classic sci-fi film based on the novel “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson. Here is the trailer:

Heston chose an african-american love interest in the 1971 film, quite daring for the time. It’s one of three great sci-fi-fi films he made in succession – see the other two here!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/09/23/cult-sci-fis-godfather-charlton-heston-omega-man-planet-of-the-apes-soylent-green-is-people/

Legendary Director Sergio Leone made many great films, but one was taken away of him, butchered by the studio, and of course it bombed upon release!

8 – “Once Upon A Time In America”

This 1984 masterpiece was taken away from the Director and drastically re-edited – here is the trailer:

An amazing blu-ray was finally released with the Director’s original cut of the film, which is much more hypnotic – for example, the longer cut begins with a scene in an opium den, as Leone was looking to create something much more hypnotic than just a gangster film…

Look for the blu-ray edition to see the complete Directors Cut!

Speaking of different cuts, try the “unrated” version of this hilarious comedy:

7 – “Old School”

One of the funniest comedies ever, thanks in part to “my boy Blue!”

There is so much to love about “Old School” , like the scene where Will Farrell shoots himself in the neck with a dart gun – check out the trailer:

This is one of the best films about college life – click here to see another one – that makes this a hilarious double bill:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/04/15/sex-togas-bluto-blue-schools-out-for-animal-house-and-old-school/

Director Steven Soderbergh is on a number of my alphabetical lists, for good reason – he has made so many great films – and huge smash hits as well:

6 – “Ocean’s 11”

Soderbergh lined up an amazing cast as he remade one of Frank Sinatra’s biggest hits – but gave hit his own “too cool for school” vibe – check out the trailer:

What a great new “Rat Pack!”

This movie showcased the best of Soderbergh’s filmmaking – an intricate plot and playful characters given a chance to have fun – for example, notice how Brad Pitt eats in so many of his scenes!

Time now to go “O” as in “007”!

5 – “Octopussy”

Roger Moore was on a roll at this time as James Bond 007 – and this is one of the more unique titles in the series – here is the trailer:

Most would consider this a “second tier” 007 film – enjoyable but not quite as good as Moore’s great “The Spy Who Loved Me”.

Roger Moore starred in some of the biggest hits in the 007 series – and he was a class act as well – see more about him here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/23/rip-roger-moore-007s-most-charming-james-bond-was-a-true-class-act/

Next up is a terrific , ultra low budget musical that shocked the movie world when it won an Oscar….

4 – “Once”

In 2006, this modest film told the story of a street singer who meets a woman who can play piano, and they make great music tougher – here is the trailer:

The film’s song “Falling Slowly” stunned the Academy Award audience by winning best original song – see more about this terrific film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/19/best-modern-musicals-once-the-commitments-glen-hansards-musical-oscar/

From the sublime to the ridiculous!

3 – “Office Space”

In 1999, Jennifer Aniston was part of a great ensemble – not “Friends” but disgruntled office workers.

Here is the trailer:

Gary Cole was pitch perfect as the “boss from hell” – and Mike Judge’s satire became a cult sensation…

Another cult horror film from the 70’s is coming back again – but nothing will top the original:

2 – “The Omen”

In 1976, this movie shocked audiences as it told the story of a small boy who may be the spawn of Satan!

Here is the trailer:

Legendary Actor Gregory Peck gives gravitas to the horror story, and this movie is beautifully directed by Richard Donner for maximum scares – a real treat.

I end the “O” movies with my second favorite film of all time – a much-neglected masterpiece:

1 – “O Lucky Man!”

Actor Malcolm McDowell exploded onto the film scene with this performances in “If…” and Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”:

He followed those up in 1973 with a story he conceived – the “Candide” tale of a young coffee salesman – check out the trailer:

This movie is brilliant for so many reasons: an incredible cast, amazingly inventive direction by Lindsay Anderson – who filmed most of the movie’s soundtrack live and shows it in the movie!

Click on my story to read so much more about this movie – and how it inspired a classic “Seinfeld” episode!

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/22/o-lucky-man-malcolm-mcdowells-seinfeld-connection/

There you have it – ten great movies with an “O” – and you can click on my blog home page and see the previous films that have been highlighted from “A – N” as well!