Updated 2006.11.22
These are some mainstream commercial films and television shows that I like.
| Babe: Pig in the City 1998 |
I had long assumed that Babe: Pig in the City was just another case of a bad sequel cashing in on a popular movie.
But when I chanced to see it one day, I was surprised to find it not only a worthy sequel but more creative and interesting than most movies other I've seen.
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| The Blue Planet 2002 |
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The Blue Planet: Seas of Life is a set of amazing documentaries about underwater life. Some of the same people also created another excellent series called The Life of Mammals.
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| Look Around You 2002 |
Look Around You is a series of ten-minute educational science program parodies that aired on a BBC channel. I'm hoping that one day a region 1 DVD becomes available.
There is a second series, but I found it much weaker--though it did have some good music in the first episode.
"What are birds? We just don't know."
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| Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind 1984 |
When I was young, I saw Warriors of the Wind, a shortened and somewhat inaccurately translated version of Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind. It made an enormous impression on me, and later seeing more faithful translations only increased my regard for the film.
I also like Miyazaki's Nausicaä comic and several of his other films, especially Spirited Away.
I also have another page about Nausicaä.
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| The NeverEnding Story 1984 |
If I had to choose a single favorite film, it would probably be The NeverEnding Story.
I also recommend the original novel by Michael Ende. I don't recommend the terrible movie sequel--I try to pretend that it doesn't exist.
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| The New Twilight Zone 1985 |
I've always considered the 1980s Twilight Zone my favorite television show. Many of the episodes really impressed me, and I considered them more creative and interesting than anything else on television.
When this show was released on DVD almost 20 years later, I was happy to find that my favorite episodes are as fun to watch now as they were back then.
You can find a good site about the series here.
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| Pee-Wee's Big Adventure 1985 |
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I liked Pee-Wee's Big Adventure when I was young, and it hasn't really lost its appeal with time. "Large Marge" alone makes it worth watching again every so often. It's also the only film I know of that includes Mr. T Cereal.
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| Police Squad! 1982 |
Unfortunately, Police Squad! lasted only six episodes. I prefer the series to the Naked Gun films that are based on it. I found the films to be not as subtle and too vulgar.
I wish I could also recommend Airplane!. It's a brilliant film, but I never realized just what had been edited in the version I taped off television until I happened to see the theatrical version one day. The same goes for Top Secret!.
Police Squad! was released on DVD in 2006.
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| The Princess Bride 1987 |
If you somehow haven't seen The Princess Bride, you should.
I also recommend the novel. The movie follows it well, which is understandable since William Goldman is responsible for them both.
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| The Prisoner 1967 |
When my friend Aaron Simmons loaned me a few episodes of The Prisoner, the show seemed somehow familiar--especially Rover, the balloon sentry. But I don't know where I might have seen it, since I wasn't around when it originally aired.
In any event, the show quickly grew on me and is now one of my favorites.
"Are you going to run?"
"Like the blazes; first chance I get."
"I meant, run for office?"
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| The Ring 2002 |
I've never decided how much I actually like The Ring. But it made a big impression on me so I think it belongs in this list.
All I had heard before entering the theater was "it's about ghosts," and knowing nothing turned out to be for the best. I found some elements contrived and others unpleasant, but I thought the film as a whole was creative and gripping.
I thought that Ring Two was garbage, though.
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| Time Bandits 1981 |
I think Time Bandits is excellent. I also like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, another Terry Gilliam film.
"Yes, why does there have to be evil?"
"I think it has something to do with free will."
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| UHF 1989 |
Despite my being a fan of "Weird Al" Yankovic's music, I didn't see UHF until a few years after its release when my friends Troy and Anthony Kinsey rented it one night.
It then became the default movie that my family would rent when we couldn't find anything else--which was nearly every time we went to rent a movie. I think it's still my single favorite comedy film.
"Does this look like a number 2 pencil?"
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Obviously, I haven't attempted to summarize or review any of these. If you want to know more about them, try the Internet Movie Database.
Here are some others that might make this list when I become motivated to add to it:
Conan the Destroyer 1984
Edward Scissorhands 1990
Galaxy Quest 1999
The Great Race 1965
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963
Robot Carnival 1987
Robin Hood (animated) 1973
The Scarlet Pimpernel 1982
The Simpsons 1989
Star Wars Trilogy 1977, 1980, 1983
Superman II 1980
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 1971
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