Musings from Min...

20. Fight Club

22. Once

24. V For Vendetta

Released in 1957, 12 Angry Men was a 95-minute film in which 92 of those minutes were shot inside the bare and confining, 16x24 foot "Jury Room". A young, Spanish-American man is on trial for murder. His father is the victim, he is the suspect, and the case is of life and death proportions. What begins as an open-and-shut murder trial turns into an investigation of the defendant and the jurors themselves. Prejudices, misconceptions, and pride hardly fit in the claustrophobically tiny space.

Favorite Scene: Trying to prove that there is not enough evidence to convict the young man to death, Henry Fonda's character engages the jurors in reenactments of that dreadful night. Time and time again, he proves that the evidence has too many holes to hold weight worthy of a death sentence. During a heavy scene, the film's antagonist (Juror #3) grows increasingly hostile towards Henry Fonda's character (Juror #8).

He yells, "I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM!"

Henry Fonda calmly replies, "You don't really mean you'll kill me, do you?"

Rating: ********* (9 out of 10)

"I've Got Growin' Up to Do..."

2008-08-16T09:26:00.001-07:00

After waiting in line for more than an hour, we finally got our spot near the stage! I was more than ready to get this concert started!

Alexa Wilkinson opened with some awesome songs. I became a huge fan of her songs "Hitchcock in the Afternoon" and "Grey Skies". Alexa reminded me of someone that has lived a lifetime in a few years... An old soul that expertly conveys emotion in her songs. Visit her MySpace page here.

Vanessa Carlton took the stage and failed to impress me. Even though Cabooze was the last show on her tour, she lacked any stage presence and tended to overshare about her personal life. I used to confuse Michelle Branch with Vanessa Carlton. Rest assured, my ability to separate the two is renewed.

The crowed got antsy until Joshua Radin appeared... He did a fantastic job live. I would even attest that he sounds better live than on his album We Were Here. The drunk couples surrounding me faded from my consciousness (some girl was having a serious talk with her boyfriend - I think the word "marriage" was mentioned). Swear that he made eye contact with me, twice.

Hearing Joshua Radin perform is a cathartic experience. I can only describe it as "soul cleansing" in the most positive way. I don't care about what your background or history is, how your present life is going, or where your future path is headed... Everyone can learn from listening to Joshua's songs. Check them out at his MySpace page here.

Free Jenna Contest!

2008-08-12T20:16:00.001-07:00

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Rainn Wilson has kidnapped Jenna Fischer... Here's how you can win a personalized podcast from Rainn - and save Jenna from his evil clutches. Seriously, this is the best marketing ever.

#14. Secondhand Lions

2008-08-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

Michael Caine has been in "the biz" for decades... Lending a hand to the theatre and film industry with an incredibly humble disposition. You never hear about this guy on the news, going into rehab or get arrested for possession of marijuana. Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment tend to shy away from the spotlight as well. By ignoring the glitz and glam of Hollywood, these actors have honed their talents into some Oscar-worthy performances. I'm quite surprised no one thought of combining these three earlier. Secondhand Lions is my 14th pick for the countdown!

14. Secondhand Lions
15. The Italian Job
16. Shawshank Redemption
17. Little Miss Sunshine
18. The Greatest Game Ever Played
19. Roman Holiday
20. Fight Club
21. The Prestige
22. Once
23. Road To Perdition
24. V For Vendetta
25. Dear Frankie

After discovering that a pair of distant uncles is rumored to possess a stash of money, Walter's mother leaves him with the men... Hoping that her son will find the treasure. Secondhand Lions follows the adventures of Walter, Uncle Hub, and Uncle Garth. Through the period of a few months, Walter learns valuable lessons in life that "stir his spirit and re-ignite his uncle's lives."

Favorite Scene: Uncle Hub and Uncle Garth use shotguns to thwart traveling salesmen. The only visible trace of visitors is a cloud of dust left in their wake. It's a tactic that (most likely) sparked the idea for telemarketing. Salespersons realized that it would be a worthwhile investment to put away the car keys and pick up a phone instead.

Rating: ********* (9 out of 10)

Author's Note: The dog pictured above is a French Bulldog... I want one for my birthday. It's on August 24th --- my address is 2013 Edgewater Avenue (Saint Paul, MN) if you'd like to send it via post. I prefer puppies... I want to name it Milton or Zoey.

Concert of da Summah!!!

2008-08-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome clip!

More detailed summary coming soon...

What's admid-he-plain-it-wong?

2008-08-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

The following conversation occurred while watching the film '21':

Kevin Spacey: "A real man can admit he played it wrong."

Ara: "What's admid-he-plain-it-wong?"

Me: "Admit he played it wrong?"

Joshua Radin at Cabooze!!!

2008-08-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Hello all! FINALLY. I am attending a concert during the summer. At Cabooze, Joshua Radin is playing an abundance of awesomeness. Located in Downtown Minneapolis, the odd, comforting smell of booze and sweat will permeate the air. Interesting.

The concert is this Saturday - leaving me plenty of time to geek out over the experience :) I'll be sure to have some sweet pics posted (if they allow cameras in the vicinity). If anyone has any advice about avoiding mosh pits or anything of the like, please take the time to write me a itty bitty comment. It could save a life.

Argh!

2008-08-05T10:48:00.001-07:00

Just a little note from yours truly...

I posted another film for the countdown.. However, my post was shoved down below my 2 other posts. Check it out at this link.

Sorry about that. I know how everyone was waiting in anxious anticipation :)

Best,

Tiffany "Min"

LA Shorts and Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival

2008-07-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

After winning the Now Film Festival, Missing Pieces will be featured at the LA Shorts Festival on August 16, 2008. The film is also an official selection at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Be sure to stop by at the Missing Pieces MySpace page and wish the team "Good luck!"

Missing Pieces Wins Now Film Festival!!!

2008-07-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Way to go Missing Pieces team! Congratulations to Samah Tokmachi and Jono Goorvich! This is an incredible accomplishment. Here is a letter that Samah and Jono wanted to share...

To the Friends of Missing Pieces:

We have officially won first place in the Now Film Festival. From one submissions among the thousands, to a field whittled down to 25 semifinalists, and to a mere handful of five finalists left standing...

...We have made our way to first place, as a result of the vote held on the Sony Lot last week...

Thank you for your unstinting support... We could not have done it without you... It was a very close vote-so close it's scary- and we could have just as easily not won it... Among the 25 semi-finalists, there were a few stunningly amazing films, so why it's us, who knows. All we know is that we are grateful for your support, and we hope to use this as a springboard to keep telling stories- just with a bigger budget, audience and screen the next time around.

By they way, if you happen to make it to the LA Shorts or the Palm Springs Short Film Fest, please do look us up, as we are official selections in both... more details to follow soon...

Samah and Jono

#15. The Italian Job

2008-07-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Old classics oftentimes get recycled into modern-day versions. Disastrous attempts include: Planet of the Apes, House of Wax, The Hulk, Bewitched, Scooby Doo, Miami Vice, Fat Albert, Sabrina, and The Flintstones. Remakes of this proportion are a disgrace to the film community. I can understand why many feel the process is "cursed". Luckily, there are a few exceptions to this rule: Ocean's Eleven, Father of the Bride, War of the Worlds, Batman Begins/Dark Knight, and my pick for #15. The Italian Job.

15. The Italian Job

16. Shawshank Redemption

17. Little Miss Sunshine

20. Fight Club

22. Once

Based upon the 1969 remake, starring the talented Michael Caine as the lead, The Italian Job had a lot to expectations to fulfill. Thankfully, this version involves the best formula: Mini Coopers, Edward Norton, Italy, and the perfect heist. Just. Awesome.

After "Good Vibrations" - but before Shooter, Marky Mark (ahem) Mark Wahlberg, accepted the lead in The Italian Job. Charlie Croker (Wahlberg) and his crew of talented thieves pull off the perfect heist. Tens of millions of dollars are stolen in a flawlessly planned execution. Members include Steve the inside man, Lyle "Napster" the computer geek, Handsome Rob the wheelman, Left-Ear the explosives expert, and John Bridger the safe cracker. However, Charlie forgot to think through one crucial detail: Betrayal.

Steve, the group's "inside man", uses shear force to steal the gold and leaves everyone for dead. The surviving team members hope to steal back the gold and get a big dose of revenge as well.

What follows can only be described as organized chaos. People get shot at, innocent bystanders nearly get creamed a stray Mini Cooper, and a true "Battle of Wits" rages between "good" and "bad" thieves.

Favorite Scene: Seth Green, the real Napster, has the best one-liners in this film. All I can say is, "Yeah!! I got the Holy Spirit... get on it... it's a good train."

Rating: ********* (9 out of 10)

***Author's Note: The cast and crew of The Italian Job are reuniting for The Brazilian Job, a sequel that takes place in the Rio de Janeiro. Personally, I think the writers could have (and should have) gave the follow-up-flick a better name.

Smokin' Yogi Films

2008-07-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

As of last month, I've been working with Smokin' Yogi Films as a Marketing Director/Intern. I want to share with you a little insider scoop about the company and our new webseries Abnormally Normal.

Smokin' Yogi Films is a Minneapolis-based Production Company dedicated to creating high-quality, unique, and forward-thinking film, literature, and communications. Balancing a love of art with a passion for supporting women in commerce, Smokin' Yogi provides products that are as meaningful as they are entertaining.

Smokin' Yogi focuses on projects that offer the public an avenue to thoughtfully consider subjects that are prevalent everywhere, and yet remain taboo for many—e.g., divorce, mental illness, sexuality, money, etc.

Their newly published book, 'Relational Shifts, A Family Doesn't Have To End Just Because A Marriage Does,' details one such story—co-authored by Smokin' Yogi Visions founder, Julie Rappaport, along with her former husband of 17 years and their teenage daughter—the family's own personal story of their journey through divorce to the other side of their 'relational shift.'

In addition, Smokin' Yogi is creating a webseries called Abnormally Normal that parallels and highlights many of the issues discussed in the book, Relational Shifts. The demo-pilot for Abnormally Normal, “Just Breathe, Part I, She Says...” has been awarded a Fiscal Sponsorship by IFP MN, as an Independent Feature Project. Abnormally Normal had its premiere screening at the Swansea Bay Film Festival, Wales, UK, June, 2007.

To view the 25 minute demo, click HERE.

Be sure to watch the trailer for "Part 2 Trailer: He Says" at Smokin' Yogi Films. Here you can also interact with the show's characters by visiting their blogs.

Keep checking back for new updates about Abnormally Normal and Smokin' Yogi Films!

#16. The Shawshank Redemption

2008-07-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

Stephen King is a literary genius. With many successful New York Times Bestseller novels, it is no surprise that Hollywood would want their share of the success. Whenever books-turned-movies hit shelves, I inwardly cringe. Rarely do films meet the standards that books set. I count my blessings when I can watch the film first. To this day, the best movie adaptation is The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although King is no C.S. Lewis, he has successfully turned his books into film hits: Carrie, Children of the Corn, Cujo, The Dead Zone, The Green Mile, Hearts in Atlantis, It, Pet Cemetery, Secret Window, The Shining, Stand By Me, The Stand, and The Shawshank Redemption.

16. Shawshank Redemption

17. Little Miss Sunshine

20. Fight Club

22. Once

25. Dear Frankie

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover in cold blood - costing him two life sentences at Shawshank Prison. Life at the prison is far from easy. Andy suffers beatings from guards, gang rape from fellow prisonmates, and shady business deals conducted by the warden. By gaining the friendship of Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), the younger man realizes the only thing worth living for is hope. That is a part of a man that no guard, judge, nor warden can snuff out.

My Commentary: In my eyes, Morgan Freeman can do no wrong. The Shawshank Redemption is his most celebrated work. The film tackles issues such as wrongful conviction, murder, suicide, rape, isolation, and embezzlement. Although the movie's pace was slow, it gave me a glimpse of how long a prison sentence could be.

Too often, I am dissatisfied with subplots that remain unresolved for secondary characters. The Shawshank Redemption chose to veer from the main storyline to introduce new twists and turns for fellow prisonmates. It was a smart move. Because Stephen King wrote the dialogue so intelligently, the film's conclusion had a much better payoff.

Favorite Scene: "It comes down to a simple choice, really. Either get busy livin', or get busy dyin'," says Andy after being shut in isolation for two consecutive months. Never letting the prison sentence consume his humanity, Andy chooses to live. His mentality grew stronger through 19 years of living at Shawshank.

Rating: ********** (10 out of 10)

#17. Little Miss Sunshine

2008-07-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

After working in a video rental store for nearly 4 years, my memory is fading fast. Film endings are easily forgotten because I made room for "college knowledge". Before leaving TNT Video, I distinctly remember the "must-sees" that I never saw - films that were rented on a regular basis. Little Miss Sunshine was a film that many customers recommended to me. It wasn't until a fabulous friend visited that I finally saw one of the best independent films of 2007. My 17th pick for the countdown is Little Miss Sunshine.

17. Little Miss Sunshine

20. Fight Club

22. Once

Winner of 2 Oscars (Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role to Alan Arkin and Best Writing, Original Screenplay to Michael Arndt) and recipient of 41 additional wins and 46 nominations, Little Miss Sunshine garnered attention with its honest dialogue and talented cast. It is safe to say that many of the actors were unknowns: Steve Carell hadn't been a 40 Year Old Virgin nor an insufferable Office manager, Greg Kinnear hadn't been offered much as a lead actor, Alan Arkin was the veteran - but had few feature roles, Paul Dano's more recent work was in the forgettable Girl Next Door, and Abigail Breslin had few experiences by the time she was cast at the tender age of six. The film was given a chance to shine without the pressure from Hollywood's glitz and glamour.

Families are quirky and dysfunctional. The Hoover clan takes the stereotype to a catastrophic level. Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear) leads the family, trying to sell his self-help "9 Steps to Reach Success" plan. Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) lets her husband take their life savings to launch his "great idea" into the world. Their angst-filled son, Dwayne Hoover (Paul Dano), is continuing his vow of silence as a Nietzsche follower with the dream of being a jet pilot. Richard's father, Edwin Hoover (Alan Arkin), is a permanent resident in the Hoover household after getting kicked out of a retirement home due to his addiction to heroine. Frank Ginsberg (Steve Carell), brother to Sheryl, is a renowned Proust scholar who attempted suicide after a male grad student ends the relationship. The youngest member of the family, Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin), dreams of winning the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant in Redondo Beach, California.

After the current contestant drops out, Olive is given the spot as contender in the pageant. The family packs into a VW bus and drives cross country in a race against time. Obstacles are at every turn and range from car problems to stealing dead bodies from hospitals. It's chaos. I love it.

My Commentary: You laugh to keep from crying. I laughed, I cringed, I even plugged my ears and covered my eyes. This film is everything and more. The Hoover family makes the Simpsons look like the Partridge family. I worried the absurd storylines had potential to seem cartoonish. However, the raw talent of the actors mixed with the creative dialogue caused me to really believe the Hoover family existed.

Favorite Scene: **********Spoiler Alert! Do NOT continue reading this section unless you have already seen the film!!!***********Dwayne's vow of silence breaks when he discovers that he is colorblind - shattering his dream of becoming a jet pilot. He bolts from the VW bus and screams profanity while running to the ditch. Taking the role of the "voice of truth," he verbally explodes. Sheryl tries to talk him down, but is unsuccessful. Olive calmly walks up to her brother, rests her head on his shoulder, and sits with him. Through her silence, she reaches out to Dwayne by communicating on his level. He agrees to continue on the journey. SO GREAT.

Rating: ********* (9 out of 10)

My near death experience...

2008-07-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Last night was such a wonderful night. I had a few friends over to catch up and watch High School Musical (author's note: Don't judge me!). After the film ended, my roommate and I decided to turn in early. Due to the fact that I was still jazzed from the fun evening, my energy levels were ridiculously high. My behavior resembled a jackrabbit on speed.

When I finally began winding down, it was about 1:30 in the morning. I got comfy in by bed as my eyes drooped with exhaustion. Suddenly, I felt something crawl on my arm. The sensation was different than usual - I could tell the offending object certainly had more than 8 legs. I shook my arm and ran to flick the lightswitch on. I wasn't prepared for my attacker.... A CENTIPEDE.

Now, I've grown increasingly squeamish towards insects with age. Back in my day, I loved investigating insects and amphibian life. Growing up watching The Discovery Channel will do that to a person. Gradually, that fascination transitioned to fear. I can only blame it on my fear of spiders - which eventually grew to include all creepy crawlies.

creepy crawlies [kree-pee krawl-ees]: (noun) Insects with multiple appendages that have elements of speed and (heaven forbid) venom.

Many of you are familiar with the centipede. I always like to give visuals with my stories. But I find that pictures of scary things are absolutely terrifying. This is why encyclopedias are hazardous to my health. There are hundreds of species of spiders... And I never know when a picture of one will pop out of the page. I tried to google an image for the post, but freaked out when the first images appeared. Sorry - but no pictures for you!

Now back to my story... I swear to you, my eyes got BIG - probably to the size of your average caucasian. The centipede was about 1-1.5 inches long. It was brown and FAST. That thing knew it had been spotted. I knew that grabbing a paper towel was not an option (squishing bugs with my hands is worse than letting it roam free throughout the house). My favorite pair of flip flops were lying next to the bed. Arming myself with my weapon of choice, I felt impending doom wash over my body. All I could think of was: "JUST DO IT! It's kill or be killed! Something with that many legs does NOT belong in the house!" I took a deep breath... And smacked my bed with the shoe.

Because I am a moron, I forgot that beds have bounce. The bug flew in the air upon contact. I dropped the sandal on the bed and screamed. Creepy crawlies are scarier in flight. The centipede lie there. Motionless. Now I was left with a bigger problem: How do I get this thing out of my bed?!!?!?

Running to the bathroom, I grabbed the trash can and a random "Renew your Newsweek Subscription" card from the floor. As I returned to the scene, the centipede came back to life - resurrected from the grave!!!! I smacked it again with the flip flop. Again, the bug flew in the air. I knew to act quickly. Grabbing the card, I flicked the bug into the trash. The garbage was bagged and thrown into our garage can.

The rest of the night, I slept on top of my covers. I'm preparing to wash my sheets this afternoon.

EXCLUSIVE interview with WB Jones of The Office

2008-07-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

W.B. Jones of W.B. Jones Heating and Air paid a visit to Dunder Mifflin in the "Chair Model" episode. Barry Sigismondi stepped into the role and generated tons of laughs during the meeting of the Five Families.

Barry, known as W.B. Jones to MySpacers, is an incredibly awesome guy... He answered some questions about the show and gave us a peek into life at Dunder Mifflin.

Tell us about your day on the set of The Office.

Pretty much a full day even though we really only shot one scene and my commercial for WB Jones Heating and Air. It's always exciting to be on a set shooting, especially when it's for a show you love and admire. Everyone was great and even though they hardly knew me, they all treated me like I was one of the gang. Ed Helms as Andy and Brian Baumgartner as Kevin were really great and extremely funny! BJ Novak was on the set and the writer of the Chair Model episode, and he was just fantastic to work with and lots of fun!

Were there any quirks of WB Jones that you envisioned as the character’s backstory?

While I'm not at liberty to discuss it all, WB has quite a history before the Heating and Air Conditioning business. Let's just say he he's had his share of vacations at the grey bar hotel and knows the right people to get things done if you know what I mean.....

How hard was it to get through the scene at the conference table?

The first few takes were really tough because everyone is so dead-pan funny! It takes every ounce of strength to do your lines and respond to what the other characters are doing without breaking out into laughter. It doesn't get much easier even after the next 5 !

If you could create any future storyline for “WB Jones of WB Jones Heating and Air”, what would that be?

Actually the viewers only saw about 1/10th of the total scene we actually shot. The scene in it's entirety, was much, much more involved and really funny! Maybe the entire scene will show up on the dvd or maybe they will come back to it in a future episode. While what you saw, seemed complete and finalized, there is one twist you may not have considered that will or could open up a whole new can of worms that WB is behind !!! We'll just have to wait and see what the producers decide to do.

What challenges and/or rewards did you experience during your time on set and was there a particular memory that you took away from the project?

While everything on the show looks spontaneous and almost improvisational, virtually all of it is scripted. Before arriving on set you have everything memorized as written and yet what you shoot may actually have been changed on the spot or altered somewhat. This particular day, after shooting all of the coverage on the conference room scene we got some additional dialogue changes that had do be done pretty quickly and accurately with a minimum of takes. My best memory of that day was just how great it was to be working with all of these great actors and the atmosphere that was created by the crew, writers, cast and producers. It's not often you find such a collaborative, constructive and fun environment to work in and trust me, The Office is the BEST!

Because I am a nerd, I called the number listed (800) 984-3672. Did you really record that voice message?

Actually no that wasn't me, that message was recorded by my operations manager..... but if you leave a message, I'll be happy to come by to do a free estimate of your heating or aid conditioning needs!

As a fan of The Office, who is your favorite character and why?

Well it's a close call between Michael (because I love the insanely crazy things he does as the branch manager that is so wrong for any manager to do) and Dwight (because he's so intense, committed to Michael, his own career and because he's soooooo unpredictable !)

What is your favorite line from the show?

This is like an impossible question to answer because there are so many. I really believe The Office is the best written and most clever show on television. While this is not my favorite per se, it is just one of many Michael quotes I think are funny: "And, even though we're still a family here at Dunder-Mifflin, families grow. And, at some point, the daddy can't take a bath with the kids anymore. I am upper management, and it would be inappropriate for me to take a bath with Pam, as much as I might want to."

What did you think about the season finale?

I really loved it for the subtle heartbreak of Jim's surprise proposal to Pam, being unknowingly thwarted by Andy and Phyllis' stumbling upon Dwight and Angela in a compromising situation.

What can fans look forward to seeing in regards to your work?

Well WB Jones is really Barry Sigismondi and you can find a listing of my previous work here. I recently finished shooting a pretty neat horror film, being produced by Screen Gems, titled "Quarantine" which should be coming out later this summer and a made for TV film called "Meteor" which should be broadcast later in the year.

Since I am doing a countdown of "25 Films Everyone Must See" I would love to hear what are five of your favorite films and why?

These are a few of WB's favorites:

Birdman Of Alcatraz - Bert Lancaster - redemption
The Godfather - Al Pacino - Once you're in you can't get out
Requiem For A Heavyweight - 1962 - Anthony Quinn -just see it
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - 1930 Silent film - things are not always as they seem
Blue Velvet - David Lynch - Don't dig too deep you might not like what you find.....

Interviewer's Note: Thanks for such fun answers, Barry! We're all hoping for more W.B. Jones and the Five Families scenes in season 5! Barry has a MySpace page - be sure to friend him up :D

#18. The Greatest Game Ever Played

2008-06-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

High school feels like eons ago... A distant memory. I realize that trips down memory lane are boring - I promise this will be short. Not one for sports, I decided to participate as a member of the Hayward's Girls' Golf Team. Little did I realize that golf is more of a mental sport. It tests the integrity of a person as well as the determination. Although I never did exceptionally well during my time on the team, I held an immense respect for the sport by the end of my career. Golf truly is The Greatest Game Ever Played. The film rolls into the 18th spot with grace.

18. The Greatest Game Ever Played

20. Fight Club

22. Once