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And thus we begin the new and incredibly long list of Gypsy's "things you should listen to"

Attempts by Genre (but shit that's hard)

Folk-Indie: Anna Nalick, The Gentle Waves, Stars, the Weepies, the Shins, the Lucksmiths, Wonderful Smith, Belle & Sebastian, beulah, Calexico, Yo La Tengo, Luna, Uncle Tupelo, Camera Obscura, The Spill Canvas, Cat Power, The Watchmen, Ben Kweller, The Shins

Folk-Pop: Jem, Mandy Moore (the NEW stuff - check out "Gardenia" on the Wild Hope album and do not miss her cover of "Umbrella"), Tegan & Sara

just Indie (in some way): Built to Spill, the Caesars, Cruiserweight, Damone, Death Cab for Cutie, Deathray, The Deathray Davies, Firekills, the entire Garden State Soundtrack and all the artists on it, Fountains of Wayne, Frou Frou, Go Betty Go, the Donnas, Interpol, Jeff Buckley, Jet, Kings of Leon, Low, Mellowdrone, Modest Mouse, My Favorite, Palo Alto, Patrice Pike, Peaches, Phantom Planet, Ryan Adams, Shiny Toy Guns, Shivaree, Snow Patrol, South, Stars, tahiti 80, Taking Back Sunday,  The December Drive, The Faint, The Postal Service (must!), The Stills (love them), The Vines, Thrills, Voxtrot, White Stripes, Wilco, Zero 7, Apples in Stereo, Catfight, Pete Yorn, Muppletone (go Phil!), Dashboard Confessional, Fire When Ready, Neutral Milk Hotel, OK Go, Placebo, that dog, The Dismemberment Plan, The Flaming Lips, The Get Up Kids, The New Pornographers, the Roots, Andreas Johnson, Ataris, Azure Ray, Bt, Fischerspooner, Owsley, Palo Alto, People in Planes ("If you talk too much" is one of my all time favorites), Pernice Brothers, Skyflakes, Statistics, Akaline Trio, The Bravery, Gravenhurst, The Golden Republic, Kaiser Chiefs, mogwai, Palomar, Say Hi To Your Mom, She Wants Revenge, Snowden, Stiffed, The Strokes, Timo Maas, Tullycraft, The Bird and The Bee, The Hives

Rock / Punk / Techno/ Other:

AFI, Linkin' Park, Breaking Benjamin, 8mm, Beck, Disturbed, David Gallegos (Hi Dave  *smile*), Dorp, Kasabian, Kidney Thieves, Killing Joke, Nickelback, Puddle of Mudd, System of a Down, Utah Saints, V.A.S.T., Crystal Method, Moby, Citizen Cope, Ministry, Maroon 5, KT Tunstall, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Poe, Mazzy Star, The Sundays (still my favorite all-time band), Stabbing Westward, NIN, Beach Boys, Bob Marley, Bad Religion, lots of classic rock (raised on it), early 80's pop (fun fun) and 90's alt (my prime years).

Great Films (with comments as I feel inspired):

"The Lion in Winter" [yes, still my all-time favorite]. 1968, Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn

"The Garden State" I tend to be a very forgiving-of-people's-traits kindof person...I expect people to be human and have faults...so I was quite happy to see a film out there with the same kindof perspective...people are messed up, they're broken in some ways, but it doesn't make them bad people. 

"The Girl in the Cafe" ("what were you thinking?") [ok and Kelly Macdonald's accent completely melts me - always...she could probably be angrily screaming and I'd swoon LOL]

"Saved!" One of the Best films, that not enough people have seen.

"Unknown White Male" a documentary about Doug Bruce, who suffers a very rare form of amnesia and a very touching, deep look at what that means to not only him, but the relationships in his life he can no longer remember, but feels expected to keep up, somehow...

"Supersize Me" much more balanced of a film than I expected. Very well done. It's actually a bonus on the DVD that made me incapable of ever eating McDonald's french fries again (I used to love them...)

"Harold and Maude" The first time I watched this, at the insistence of some friends, I was horrified at the ending. Dani Wetter (one of the friends) looked at me, smiled, and said "wait 20 minutes". I was dumbfounded. 20 minutes later....I got it. I realized it was absolutely beautiful. It's a beautiful film.

"Lost in Translation"

"Exotica" This is not a "T&A" film, which is how it was marketed and so everybody that saw it was horribly disappointed. It's a wonderful psychology film and really what's its about is stated in the first words "You have to ask yourself...what brought the person to this point".      And a beautiful soundtrack.

"Miss Julie" raw. Based on a play by August Strindberg. I generally refer to Saffron Burrow's performance in this film as the best example of what Acting is, can be. She's a goddess of it. And Peter Mullan is such a great storyteller. 

"The Loss of Sexual Innocence" This film asks the question: when do we lose our innocence? Is it in the act of sex itself, or is it something else entirely...gone in little bits and pieces as we go through life.... very very well done. Saffron Burrow's did *too* good of a job, actually, playing two characters...because nobody else "got" that it was her and that a point was being made...found myself having to explain and point them to imdb b'c they wouldn't believe me both parts were her LOL

"Koyaanisquatsi" I first saw this in the "new" Harris Center theater at Grinnell. It was a room full of restless college students on a Friday night, ready to go out. When the film ended, I kid you not there was a full 20 minutes of completely stunned silence before anyone even started to move...pick up their bags. A friend of mine who had already seen it, was actually ready with her watch - timing how long it would take people to snap out of it...try to go on with life...

"Brazil" oh hell now I've got that song stuck in my head again.... one of my all time fav films though

"Alice in Wonderland" Yes, the Disney one. Best with a bottle of champagne and some bubbles to blow, but really it's good anytime.

"The Hudsucker Proxy"

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"    "How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd." - Alexander Pope, Eloisa to Abelard

"Office Space" I've actually worked with most of the characters in this film. So much so that the first time I watched it, I got so creeped-out I had to hit "pause" and try to convince myself that no, the filmmakers were not actually just following me around...  an absolutely gas of a film that if you've ever worked at a desk job - you'll worship this film forevermore, like the rest of us.   Oh I was also completely creeped out when later I went to work for a place that was in the building used for this film (here in Austin). Just spoke to me...took me awhile to figure out why I was so "unsettled" whenever I went there Lol

"Higher Learning" most beautifully done bisexual scene I've ever seen. And a very very poignant film over-all.

"Monty Python's Holy Grail" can never decide my favorite scene....

"I (Heart) Huckabees" Another great fav...and Lily Tomlin in this is purely brilliant. Hilarious!

"Vanilla Sky"   "See you in another life when we are both cats."

"Donnie Darko" (of course - is there a great film list that *doesn't* include this?!?)

"Bowling for Columbine"

"V for Vendetta" I sincerely wish I could get every individual in this nation to sit down and watch this film through...wish I could mail a copy of it to everyone...and then, magically, get them to understand it.... let's see if I can pull the Guy Fawkes-related quote off the top of my head "Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason, why the gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot." something like that, anyway

"Because I Said So"   because I said so. (sorry, could not resist...). Best "chick flick" I've ever seen. Ok it helps that those were some of my mother's favorite words, and she would actually set me up on dates....  Mandy Moore is charming as can be in this. Bravo!

"Annie Hall"

"The Princess Bride" (duh)

"Stardust" seriously - go see it and have a nice afternoon or whatever.

The "X-Men" Movies I felt they really did a great job of keeping the content in the idea - the philosophy of the nature of Mankind. Last film I was disappointed they fell flat on Rogue's character, though...coulda've been the best. I love to see a good philosophical battle played out...

"Gattica" This film sorta defines me. Always make myself go back and watch it when I get lost...

"CLUE" I laugh myself to tears every time. Madeline Kahn was one of the few people on the planet I could call an "idol". I simply loved the woman.

"Equilibrium" Nobody saw it, but you really should. Hell Graham & I actually drove 65 miles to bumfuck-Killeen, TX to see it, because it didn't open in Austin. After that drive, we figured there was no way we could not be disappointed. But we babbled like idiots about it the whole way back. Totally worth it. 

"Jeffrey!" Oh how I love thee.... and still the best (bit) part Sigourney Weaver's ever had. 

"Kingdom of Heaven" I loved this film...the fact that the "bad guy" is properly placed on the fanatics, the extremists. 

"Kontroll" Hungarian flick. 

The Lord of the Rings trilogy (of course). Admit I was totally bored with the Frodo/Sam walking scenes, though. Action-action, romance, fun and then...walking...and more walking....ahem. pacing was off a bit.

"Minority Report" I'm a huge Philip K. Dick fan, and many of his stories and books could be made into great films. Existential Philosophy + Scifi = yay. [keep waiting for someone to pick up on Counter-Clock World or Valis]

"Mystery Men" Well, because of course long before this film ever existed my friends & I were always coming up with quirky superheroes. All good fun. And hey, Matt has went on to become his through a t.v. contest! Go Matt! 

"MST3K: This Island Earth (The Film)" Oh gods...if you haven't, do. Instant laughing tears. I've always loved the show, from way back to Joel doing it, and they did everything the Best in the film. "Thank God I saved you!" LMFAO. Friends & I were walking around for awhile afterward, putting our arms around each other and saying "Thank God I saved you!" at the most inappropriate times....Lol I'm giggling myself silly just trying to write this...

"TANK GIRL" (of course, heh heh)

"Before Sunrise" Because I'm a complete philosopher-poet. You know it. bah! The things I can't resist saying...

"Serenity" Firefly (which this was based on) is my favorite television show all-time and I was seriously jaded for a very long while after it got cancelled. Couldn't even watch t.v. I was so disgusted...

"the Chronicles of Narnia" Absolutely loved it. Tumnus, perfect! And Tilda Swinton...a goddess in her own right. I'll see it if she's in it. 

And let's us NOT forget -------

"Strictly Ballroom", "William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge!" The "red carpet" series from the great Baz Luhrmann. Moulin Rouge is one of my favorite films of all time (watch and sing over and over again), but I absolutely love Strictly Ballroom! The middle one is "ok" by comparison, but heads above most other films.

There. that'll keep ya busy for a long while...

The one who gets the girl...