Top Five: Movies
Dec 28th
This is the first in a series of posts giving my top five of everything: top five authors, movies, books, fonts, colors… anything and everything I can think of. Most of these lists, unless otherwise specified, aren’t in any particular order. Here’s list one: my top five movies.
Cory’s Top Five Movies
1. Slumdog Millionaire. The combination of dynamic storytelling, amazing visuals and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of a game show make for the best movie of 2008, by far.
2. Quiz Show. Yeah, yeah, I know. Two movies with game shows in them. Rest assured, dear reader: White Men Can’t Jump will not appear just because Rosie Perez’s fine ass appeared on Jeopardy!. Robert Redford’s directorial debut chronicling the rise and fall of the 1950s quiz show is less about the game show and more about the drama between everyone involved.
3. Up. I’ll admit it: the movie made me cry. Then it made me laugh. Then it intrigued me. Then it warmed my heart. Just like a good Disney movie should. Pixar has a hard time doing any wrong.
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Although not a great translation of Douglas Adams’ book, the H2G2 movie was entertaining enough for me to watch over and over again and enjoy it. Not many movies do that, which is why The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy gets on the list.
5. Helvetica. I know that I really should not be making Top Five lists since I put shit like Helvetica on the list, but give me a chance to explain. Gary Hustwit’s documentary Helvetica is not just a movie about a font; it’s the on-screen experience of a group of influential people discussing the aesthetics that most forget but no one should take for granted.
The History of Game Shows, Part One: Family Feud
Dec 27th
The History of Game Shows is an ongoing series of articles about the history of game shows from 1500 to the present. This week’s article is about the popular game show, Family Feud.
At the very least catch phrase fodder for American pop culture, Family Feud is one of the staples of game shows in America today. Originally a spin-off of the bonus round from Match Game, Family Feud has been surveying 100 people, with the top 5 answers on the board, for over 30 years.
1973’s Match Game was, in 2 words, da bomb. The combination of host Gene Rayburn, the massive amount of celebrities, and of course, the dirty questions, made for a ratings smash. One of the regular celebrities, Richard Dawson, shows an incredible amount of competence in playing the game, plus a charisma and likability that made for excellent television. Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, always the forward thinkers, decided to convert the Super Match portion of the Match Game into a new show, and cast Dickie Dawson in the starring role.
Wrongs, Rights and Broadcast Radio
Nov 8th
These are my confessions about my role in ruining WEXP La Salle Radio.
Those are strong words coming from someone who spent four years of his college career caring for the amateur, fledgling radio station as if it were his own child. But yes, I messed up a bit and I need to get it off my chest.
There was a transitional meeting at the end of my term as General Manager. That meeting’s purpose was to lead the incoming managers in the right direction of leading the station. I missed that meeting due to personal matters I rather not speak about in public. That’s where my messing up started and ended. I should have attended that meeting or at the least I should have rescheduled that meeting so I could have attended.
Where are we now? A general manager that can’t type, an executive board purely devoid of diversity, of gender, race or musical preference, and a podcasting system set up where only one person podcasts their shows. As much as the General Manager would love to blame me for all his ills, the facts that there has been zero innovations at the station, zero interest outside of doing shows, and zero interest in upgrading the station’s equipment show that the problems facing WEXP are much more than me missing one meeting. It’s the Adam Bagni-like, proud attitude of the current GM that worries about the station once more.
Leadership is important. The current GM is not showing the proper leadership. My worry is, I have a feeling he doesn’t even know it.
So, doing another test.
Jun 12th
So, since I’m trying to write in this blog more often, and since I can’t choose my LJ icons from here when they move to LJ, I’m implementing LJ icons in my own blog. So, who has two thumbs and hates you? THIS GUY.
Also, http://www.facebook.com/coryanotado bitches.
OK, testing if the things I tw…
Jun 4th
OK, testing if the things I tweet will show up where I want them to in my blog. Don’t mind this!
