I thought the movie was overrated.

a guy chick flick. (What would one call this?

Gay.

My FAVORITE scene in this movie is when a guy comes in to the store and he's desperate to buy this one particular LP and Jack Black's character is like, um...no I can't sell this. The guy is begging and pleading and he still says no.

A minute later he sells it to some other guy (in fact i think he might have given it away). he just loved busting the other guy's cajones.

I've been a big Jack Black fan ever since.

I believe the term for Hornby books is "lad lit." I read High Fidelity and enjoyed it very much. Also highly recommend Hornby's About a Boy, in fact, I like it better.

Big fan of the movie, and John Cusack generally. Actually, though, I was an even bigger fan of the book, which is more tightly focused on the way the music obsessives in the record shop use their hobby as a substitute for growing up.

It probably helped that when I read it, I was working in an arthouse movie theatre that was the precise cinematic equivalent of the record shop in High Fidelity. Yes, I did once see one of the employees refuse to rent a DVD to a customer because he felt he didn't deserve to see the movie.

Nick Hornby is one of my favorites! Definitely read it, Robbo. You'll enjoy it.

I totally forgot Robbins was in Erik the Viking! Wow.

Erik the Viking definitely one of my favorites. Rumor has it that Mayor Nagin based his disaster planning on the Terry Jones "High Brazil" part of the film.

The Robbins cameo as the President in the Austin Powers movie (the second one, I believe) was also pretty good: "Would you miss it?! Would you miss it?!"

And you left out Shawshank Redemption! Robbins nailed it. Nailed it, baby!

And Bull Durham? Sorry, but I think it's the most overrated movie ever. (puts hand over head, awaiting inevitable storm of abuse . . .)

Now I've got an image of Terry Jones singing the High Brazil song in the Superdome in my head....Thanks.

Shawshank? Never saw it. Not interested.

Austin Powers? A one-joke franchise.

Bull Durham overrated? Blasphemer!

I read a great article (unfortunately I cant remember where) which lameted the loss of the music snobs power because of MP3's and iPods. The basic point is someone can spend years collecting obscure and/or rare tracks and someone can import it into their pod in a couple of minutes and walk away with your obsession. I realized my snobbishness took a huge hit.

Rob,

Add it to the list. Seriously. Even though it is a three hanky film (not for me, mind you -- born without tear ducts), it is still a classic.

The ultimate analysis of Shawshank is still Jay Pinkerton's News Skim comics -- from before the 2004 election. It really only has a little to do with Shawshank, but it explains why Morgan Freeman should be president.

http://www.jaypinkerton.com/blog/archives/000169.html

I have to agree with Colossus about Shawshank, although I've never really cared for Tim Robbins in much else. The man has a very oddly proportioned cranium, and I just can't seem to get past that.

Incidentally, Morgan Freeman played the President in Deep Impact. I wouldn't suggest adding that movie to your list, but after we saw it my date said she'd vote for Morgan Freeman in a heartbeat.

Oh, the next time I decide to do a Tea Leone festival, I'm sure that one will make it into the mix.

Colossus,

Thanks for the link. I laughed so hard I was crying.

Shawshank is a must see.

I agree with you about Bull Durham, btw. I was completely underwhelmed by that one and still don't get why people think it's so great.

You MUST see Shawshank. I resisted it for years, then I watched it. Now, every time it comes on, I must watch it. It's wonderful.

Colossus---I'm seconding Robbo about Bull Durham. How can you NOT like Bull Durham?

I don't know why I don't like Bull Durham.

Well, actually, I do.

Susan Sarandon.

I have to say, I just don't get it.

If you read The Superficial, you'll know that the writer there sometimes has unusually harsh words for some Hollywood beauties -- he refers to Meg Ryan, for instance, as a "chain-smoking hag with a face like a pit bull" or Kirsten Dunst as a "peg-toothed troll." Completely ridiculous -- I think they're both beautiful -- but I laugh out loud whenever I read it.

Susan Sarandon just has always turned me off. It's mainly the insane, hyperthyroid eyes. Even in movies where she's young (e.g., Rocky Horror), she just doesn't do it for me. I don't find her attractive.

And in Bull Durham, the scenes where she's alternately seducing/teaching Tim Robbins' half-witted character how to pitch (which seems like 3/4ths of the movie) just annoy me. She's hideous, and he's an idiot. It's just not sexy.

And yet it's sold to ous as if it is. I understand "suspension of disbelief" and all, but sorry -- every time I see it, I think I also see the director of the movie laughing at us.

I know. Crazy talk. Just my $.02.

Nuke and Annie is the sideshow. It's not that sexy either---and that's the point! Crash and Annie---well, and they're not only funny, but wow...back in the days before Kevin Costner started eating gravy with every meal. Rowr. But, again, even that is a sideshow.

The main deal is BASEBALL! Someone old and on the way out, someone new, dumb and on the way up. One of my favorite bits is when they're on the road trip and Crash yanks the guitar out of Nuke's hand and not only lectures him to learn the words to "Tenderness," but instructs him on how to give an interview.

"My interviews? What do I gotta do?"

"You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."

"Got to play... it's pretty boring.

'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

Then Nuke actually proceeds to use this advice is brilliant. It's one big joke. I can understand Susan Sarandon being annoying, but try and overlook it...puhleeze???