Reviews by jmdobies

jmdobies says "Actor/Activist/Sundance Guy Robert Redford's Best Performances" about Top Ten Robert Redford Movies

jmdobies — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:37:47 GMT

Robert Redford has had a remarkable life in film, from his breaktthough in the '60s to his '70s superstardom to his current career as craggy character actor, activist, and main man at Sundance.

Here is my highly subjective list of the Top Ten Robert Redford Movies:

1. The Candidate (1972): Redford is at his charismatic, early '70s best as Bill McKay, dark horse candidate for U.S. Senate, whose campaign to unseat the heavily-favored Republican incumbent (Don Porter) gains momentum. Directed by Michael Ritchie, from Jeremy Larner's incisive script, with Peter Boyle, Allen Garfield, and Melvyn Douglas. Available on DVD from Warner Home Video.

2. All the President's Men (1976): RR is Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman is Carl Bernstein, the two Washington Post reporters who got the scoop on Watergate. With Jason Robards as Post editor Ben Bradlee and Hal Holbrook as Deep Throat Warner Home Video.

3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969): The teaming of Paul Newman and Redford as the legendary...

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jmdobies says "Incredible 1972 T. Rex Concert Film Directed by Ringo Starr" about T. Rex: Born to Boogie

jmdobies — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:31:55 GMT

Ringo Starr was not just the Beatles' drummer, nor was he just an actor (The Magic Christian, That'll Be the Day), he was also a director, making his debut with 1967's Magical Mystery Tour. If that film is his Citizen Kane, then Born to Boogie is his Magnificent Ambersons.

The 1972 concert film documents the phenomenon known as "T. Rextasy," an early '70s variation on Beatlemania that swept Britain and made Marc Bolan a rock star. Known primarily in the US for the hits "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" and "Jeepster," T. Rex had a great run from '70 to '73, racking up a series of number ones in the UK.

T. Rex was so huge in England that the band accounted for a quarter of all records sold in 1972, and was able to headline the 70,000-capacity Wembley Stadium and sell out two shows. Both shows are presented on this deluxe double-DVD, which has been restored by a crack team including original T. Rex producer Tony Visconti (the original footage sat mouldering in Ringo's basement for over 30 years),...

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jmdobies says "Influential '70s Cult Classic Car Chase Flick" about Vanishing Point (1971)

jmdobies — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:56:46 GMT

"It's the maximum trip... at maximum speed."

Number Three on my list of the Top Ten Car Movies is Richard Sarafian's 1971 drive-in cult film Vanishing Point. Often imitated, never duplicated, Vanishing Point is classic carsploitation, basically one long car chase, interspersed with flashbacks that provide what little backstory there is.

Barry Newman is Kowalski, who takes a job delivering a 1970 Dodge Challenger from Denver to San Francisco. He bets his speed dealer that he can make the delivery in 15 hours or less, which inevitably leads to unwanted attention from Johnny Law. A spectacular car chase, and much vehicular mayhem, ensues.

Kowalski is a decorated Viet Nam veteran and former cop who got kicked off the force when he stopped a superior officer from raping a girl. Then his wife drowned accidentally, leaving him with nothing left to lose. When he manages to evade the efforts of various law enforcement agencies, he becomes a folk hero.

In the supporting cast are Cleavon...

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jmdobies says "Legendary 1968 Concert Film with the Stones, The Who, and More" about The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus

jmdobies — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:09:37 GMT

The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus, filmed over two days in December 1968 by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg (Let It Be), is an incredible time capsule capturing a unique moment in time when rock music was at its peak. Viewed 40 years on, when commodified crapmongers like the Jonas Brothers are what pass for rock stars, the film is a remarkable document of a long-gone era.

In addition to the self-proclaimed "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World," the bill featured The Who, Jethro Tull, Marianne Faithfull, Taj Mahal, and "The Dirty Mac," a supergroup comprised of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell. The film was shelved for almost 30 years (it was released on VHS in '96) because Mick Jagger wasn't satisfied with his performance, feeling that the other acts, particularly the Who, came off better than the Stones.

He may have had a point, but I'm glad he finally saw the light and allowed the release of this tasty slice of rock history. Combining performance...

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jmdobies says "Wonderful All-Natural Wooden Dollhouse for Kids of All Ages" about Ryan's Room Home Is Where the Heart Is Dollhouse

jmdobies — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:56:13 GMT

My kids got the Ryan's Room "Home Is Where the Heart Is" dollhouse for Christmas this year, and it is mighty impressive. Unlike most dollhouses on the market, which are made out of plastic, Ryan's Room dollhouses are made entirely of wood, and their accessories are also made of natural materials. Perfect for kids who are being schooled Montessori-style.

Designed to allow a child to imagine, create and bring to life their very own world, Ryan's Room dollhouses feature durable construction and are easy to assemble. "Home is Where the Heart Is," a three-level structure, is their largest model, retailing for around $120. Shop around, and you can find it for around $90 or less.

In addition to doll families of several different ethnicities, there are dozens of add-ons and accessories, such as the "Think Pink" Girl's Room, the "Cooking Up Fun" kitchen set, and the "Park and Play" garage with a garage door that lifts up and slide back for easy open-and-shut action. It's pretty cool stuff.

My...

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jmdobies says "Like Dairy Queen, But Much Better" about Dairy Barn - Dickinson, ND

jmdobies — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:32:08 GMT

The Dairy Barn is located in beautiful downtown Dickinson, North Dakota, where I have been spending the holidays with my wife's family. Her Dad took me there on my first day in town and I had to go back again before I left, just to get another one of their delicious "Barbecue" sandwiches. I use quotation marks because I live in Texas, home of the best BBQ on the planet, and what the Dairy Barn calls "barbecue" is more like Sloppy Joes, but whatever you call it, it's delicious.

Located in what was once a Dairy Queen, the Dairy Barn offers a similar mix of fast food and ice cream treats, but with a difference. Namely, everything at the DB tastes better (and fresher) than at DQ. Their burgers, chicken, and fries are a cut about their "Brazier" counterparts, using local beef and homestyle recipes, while the aforementioned Barbecue Sandwich rules over DQ's version. Whereas DQ has the Blizzard, DB has the Tornado: same basic concept, but with better soft serve. The Moo-Moo Bar, the Holstein...

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jmdobies says "Turner Classic Movies' Wild, Weird Late Night Cult Film Series" about TCM Underground

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:39:54 GMT

For several years, I hosted "Surreal Cinema," a Friday night double feature on a local independent televison station in Northeast Florida, specializing in horror, sci-fi, and exploitation films. Somewhere in the middle of my run, Turner Classic Movies announced that it was debuting "TCM Underground," described in the press release as "home to some of the truly visionary cult films that have been made over the past century, from stylish horror movies to offbeat black comedies."

I have long been a fan of TCM, and was excited to hear about the series, even if it was scheduled in the middle of the night (Friday nights/Saturday mornings at 2 a.m.), an hour after my four-hour block o' shock 'n' schlock ended on channel 22. More often than not, I'd fall asleep before it came on, so I didn't get to witness many of the early installments, which were hosted by musician/filmmaker/evil guy Rob Zombie..

When I moved to Austin, I started to catch more entries in the series, thanks to the time difference,...

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jmdobies says "Create Your Own T-Shirts, Coffee Mugs, and More" about cafepress.com

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:00:20 GMT

Ever wanted to desing your own t-shirts, but the local screen printer charged too much? Looking for unique gift ideas?

CafePress.com is the answer. Whether you are designing your own custom items, or choosing from the thousands of designs available on the site, you're sure to find something that suits your taste.

To paraphrase that guy on those old Hair Club for Men ads, I'm not just a client, I also have my own Cafe Press shop, The Florida Rocks Again! Swag Shack (cafepress.com/fla_rocks_again), where you can get all manner of cool stuff from my award-winning radio program (which you can hear online as part of the GaragePunk.com podcast).

I have been impressed with the image quality of the printing, given that Cafe Press uses JPEGS rather than higher-resolution formats.

Cafe Press is a great resource for organizations that want to create promotional items, but don't necessarily want to deal with inventory or large orders that may or may not sell through. As long as the image you want to use...

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jmdobies says "First DVD Release of Nickelodeon's Bizarre But Fun Kids' Show" about Yo Gabba Gabba!: The Dancey Dance Bunch

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:59 GMT

"Yo Gabba Gabba!" is a show that airs on Nickelodeon which has a strange appeal to not only toddlers, but for hipsters of all ages. I was first exposed to it when "The Soup" ran clips of the show ("My name is Nathan! I like to dance!"), but when my kids made the switch from Playhouse Disney to Nick Jr., I got the whole picture.

Yo Gabba Gabba!: The Dancey Dance Bunchis the first DVD release from the series, collecting four episodes of the show: "Friends," "Eat," "Dance," and "Happy." Hosted by DJ Lance Rock, and featuring Muno (the red cyclops), Foofa (the pink flower bubble), Brobee (described only as "the little green one"), Toodee (the blue cat-dragon) and Plex (the yellow robot), and a magic boom box. There's lots of songs ("Party in My Tummy," "Find a Friend"), dancing, and featurettes like "Super Martian Robot Girl" and drawing lessons from Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh.

There are valuable lessons for the kiddies, like "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" and "Don't Bite Your Friends," while older,...

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jmdobies says "Cool '60s Car Racing Drama from Writer/Director Jack Hill" about Pit Stop a/k/a The Winner

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:05:22 GMT

"Flesh Against Steel! Raw Guts for Glory!"

Number Four on my Top Ten Car Movies is Pit Stop (originally entitled The Winner), written and directed by Jack Hill (Spider Baby, Coffy), the story of a slicked-back drag racer named Rick Bowman, played by Dick Davalos (best known for playing James Dean's brother in East of Eden), who is recruited to drive in "Figure 8" races, a totally insane (and real) form of car racing. Figure 8 tracks were just what they sound like, designed to maximize the mayhem when cars crossed the intersection in the middle of the race course.

Bowman is a classic anti-hero, a street punk whose arrogance and selfishness are what makes him a "winner."

Made in 1967 but not released until 1969, this film is highly underrated, having been consigned to the bottom half of double bills when it was released, due to the fact that black & white films had gone out of fashion, but deserves a greater reputation, as it is one of the best films of its kind. Hill filmed the mayhem...

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jmdobies says "My Favorite Alamo: Close to Home and an Awesome Draft Rack" about Alamo Drafthouse - Lake Creek - Austin, TX

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:25:45 GMT

My first visit to the Alamo Drafthouse at Lake Creek was during the 2007 Austin Film Festival, when I took in screenings of Doug Benson's Super High Me and Dirt Road to Psychedelia, Scott Conn's cool documentary about Austin in the '60s. The Alamos have been called "The best movie theaters in America," and with good reason. Not only do they offer discerning film fare, they serve tasty food and good beer, too.

The Lake Creek location is not only the most modern of all the Austin Alamos, it also has the best beer selection, with a huge draft rack that features local favorites like 512, Real Ale, and Shiner, but also some outstanding craft brews like Stone Brewing Company's I.P.A. and Arrogant Bastard Ale. These dank drafts are just the thing to wash down the Alamo's dee-licious cheeseburgers, personal pepperoni pizzas, and incredible fried pickles.

If there is a movie in current release, the Lake Creek Alamo is always my venue of choice, as it's less than a mile from my apartment, and...

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jmdobies says "Thumbs Down: Gene Siskel Must Be Turning Over in His Grave" about At the Movies

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:35:58 GMT

Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel pioneered the idea of the movie review show on their long-running television series "At the Movies," with their trademark "Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down." After Siskel's death, Chicago Tribune film critic Richard Roeper took the seat across the aisle from Ebert, and when Ebert lost his voice in the wake of cancer surgery, a series of guest reviewers took his place.

In 2008, the Disney Company, who owned the rights to the show, announced that Ebert and Roeper were being replaced by Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz and the twentysomething Ben Lyons, from "E! News Daily" and Nickelodeon's "My Family's Got Guts."

Roger Ebert took the "Thumbs" with him, as he and Siskel's estate own the trademark.

While Mankiewicz gets a pass, for his Hollywood pedigree and TCM gig (even though he's no Robert Osborne), Lyons is clearly in over his head. The son of hack film critic Jeffrey Lyons, he is living proof that the apple does not fall far from the tree. This jejeune...

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jmdobies says "North Dakota's Enchanted Highway Is Pretty Durn Cool" about The Enchanted Highway - Regent, ND

jmdobies — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:01:56 GMT

Located on a 30-mile stretch of road off Interstate 94 (Exit 72), approximately 20 miles east of Dickinson, North Dakota, The Enchanted Highway features the world's largest metal sculptures, all created by visionary artist Gary Greff.

A native of Regent, North Dakota, Greff was a school teacher who had never done any art work or welding prior to 1989. Struck by inspiration, and a desire to bring people to the tiny prairie town, he set about creating his incredible sculptures. "The Tin Family" was erected in 1991; "Teddy Rides Again" in 1993; "Pheasants on the Prairie" in 1996; "Grasshoppers in the Field" in 1999; "Geese in Flight," constructed out of oil well tanks and pipe and visible from the highway, was completed in 2001; "Deer Crossing" in 2002; and "Fisherman's Dream" in 2006.

Along the Enchanted Higway is a fence that is lined with smaller metal sculptures of birds in flight, providing enchantment in the spaces between the seven main pieces.

If you find yourself in Western...

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jmdobies says "The Greatest Automotive Masterpieces of the Silver Screen" about Top Ten Car Movies

jmdobies — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:07:16 GMT

Since the automobile and motion pictures were invented right around the same time, cars and movies have had a long-standing relationship. While there have been movies that have featured cool cars (American Graffiti, Munster Go Home) and great car chases (Bullit, The French Connection, The Seven Ups), I have limited this list of my Top Ten Car Movies to only those films where cars are the main subject matter.

1. Two Lane Blacktop (1971): Director Monte Hellman's existential road movie stars musicians James Taylor as The Driver and Dennis Wilson as The Mechanic, who make their living drag racing in their primer-grey '55 Chevy. Into their insular world comes The Girl (Laurie Bird), who hitches a ride with them, and G.T.O. (the great Warren Oates), who challenges them to a cross-country race for pink slips. One of the greatest films of the '70s, featuring incredible widescreen cinematography, and a great script from Rudolph Wurlitzer (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Candy Mountain). With Harry...

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jmdobies says "Deluxe Edition of Monte Hellman's Brilliant 1971 Road Movie " about Two Lane Blacktop

jmdobies — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:59:27 GMT

Number one on the list of my Top Ten Car Movies is 1971's Two Lane Blacktop, directed by Monte Hellman from a script by Rudolph Wurlitzer (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Candy Mountain). It's a movie that begins with six minutes of engine noise and no dialogue, a kind of automotive overture that sets the stage for one of the great American Movies of the 1970s, as well as one of the greatest car racing movies ever. But it's more than just another racing flick.

It's more of an existential road movie, a cinematic tone poem, where such things as plot and dialogue take a back seat to visually arresting widescreen cinematography and a series of wonderfully played moments that add up to a brilliant, rewarding film.

Two of the leads are played by well-known musicians. James Taylor plays "The Driver" and Beach Boy Dennis Wilson is "The Mechanic," who drive around in search of a street race in their souped-up '55 Chevy. Into their insular world comes "The Girl" (Laurie Bird, another non-actor who...

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jmdobies says "Highly Entertaining Autobio of Rock Legend and Austin Resident " about All the Rage: My Life with the Small Faces, the Faces, and the Rolling Stones

jmdobies — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:40:33 GMT

Number one on my list of Top Ten Rock 'n' Roll Books is Ian "Mac" McLagan's All the Rage: My High Life with the Small Faces, the Faces, and the Roling Stones (also known as All the Rage: A Riotous Romp Through Rock 'n' Roll History), a brutally honest and incredibly entertaining chronicle of Mac's wild days and nights playing the Hammond organ and electric piano for some of my favorite bands.

I missed witnessing Mac with the Small Faces (one of the greatest British bands of the '60s) and the Faces (the ultimate lads' band and so much more than Rod Stewart's backing band), but I did see him play with the Stones and the New Barbarians (a supergroup with Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, orignally formed to play court-mandated concerts stemming from Keith's Canadian drug bust), and several times with his current group, the Bump Band, who appear regularly at the legendary happy hour at Austin's Lucky Lounge.

While other, more famous rockers have gotten book deals and had their drug-addled...

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jmdobies says "Bogdanovich's DVD Documentary About Gainesville's Favorite Sons" about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream

jmdobies — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:07:21 GMT

Runnin' Down a Dream, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, presents the story of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers over a remarkably fast-moving four hours, propelled by a stellar soundtrack of the band's greatest hits. Apparently, there's a six-hour cut of the movie, and I'd love to see the other two hours.

Bogdanovich made his name in the late '60s and early '70s as an independent filmmaker (Targets, The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon), before a lengthy decline phase that lasted the better part of two decades before he bounced back with films like The Cat's Meow (2002) and an acting role as Tony's shrink's shrink in The Sopranos.

Runnin' down a Dream shows another side of the filmmaker, as he has asssembled an epic documentary about one of the Great American Bands and their laconic leader that tells their tale from their teenage days in Gainesville, Florida, through the ups and downs of the '70s and '80s to their current status as elder statesmen of rock.

Fans of the band will be ecstatic over all......

jmdobies says "Cool Collection of Early Work by Lawrence Block" about One Night Stands and Lost Weekends

jmdobies — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:32:04 GMT

Lawrence Block is one of my favorite crime novelists, a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and a four-time winner of the Edgar and Shamus Awards, best known for his series of novels featuring alcoholic private eye Matt Scudder. However, I am partial to his early work, some of which (Mona, Lucky at Cards, A Diet of Treacle) has recently been reissued as part of the Hard Case Crime series.

One Night Stands and Lost Weekends collects his earliest short fiction, published in such magazines as Manhunt, Offbeat, and Guilty, plus three novellas featuring private detective Ed London, Block's first attempt at a series character, and originally brought together in book form in two limited editions published by Crippen & Landru in 1999 and 2001.

In his introduction, Block states that this is material he would be "hard put to read without cringing," but maintains that he consented to its publication because. as he says, "When faced with two courses of action, I try to pack the one that brings...

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jmdobies says "Great-Sounding Reissue of Ian Hunter's 1975 Debut Album" about Ian Hunter - Ian Hunter: 30th Anniversary Edition

jmdobies — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:56:46 GMT

This was a huge album for me back in the mid-'70s, when I listened to it regularly on LP and on the 8-track in my '74 Pontiac Ventura. The album combined two English rockers at the top of their game: Ian Hunter, fresh from five years fronting Mott the Hoople, and Mick Ronson, who was coming off a five-year collaboration with David Bowie which ended after the release of Pin-Ups. The result is one of the most underrated rock ‘n' roll records ever made, and a high-water mark of ‘70s hard rock.

After all the good-byes at the end of Mott's valedictory last single "Saturday Gigs," Hunter begins his first solo album with a spoken "'Allo" on "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," one of his most memorable compositions, later covered for a hit by Hair Metal also-rans Great White.

Produced by Ronson and powered by his guitar pyrotechnics, the album is both his and Hunter's masterpiece, and this remastered edition sounds yards better than the Nice Price reissue of the early '90s. Unfortunately, due to management...

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jmdobies says "Music Biographies, Memoirs, and Other Books That Rock" about Top Ten Rock 'n' Roll Books

jmdobies — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:23:04 GMT

Here's another highly subjective Top Ten list, this one concerning the creme de la creme of rock literature, the various biographies, autobiographies, and slices of life chronicling the sordid life stories of rock 'n' roll's degenerate jet set. I'm sure I'm leaving some out, and I'll probably have to make some edits to it later, but here 'tis:

1. All the Rage: My High Life With the Small Faces, the Faces, the Rolling Stones and Many More by Ian McLagan with Dave Marsh: My favorite rock 'n' roll autobiography, Mac's book tells the story of his life in music, from the Small Faces to the Faces to the Rolling Stones, and his eventual relocation to Austin. Along the way, great stories about Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Rod Stewart, to name but three. And I always thought Ronnie Lane's nickname "Plonk" referred to his bass playing. A first-class rock 'n' roll story from Austin's resident rock royalty.

2. I Need More by Iggy Pop: No-holds-barred autobio from the Igster, born James Newell...

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