Movies I Love: Road House

I was watching Point Break this past weekend when I came to a startling realization. I said to my friends, "This movie is great, but (with the exception of the scene where Patrick Swayze throws a dog at Keanu Reeves) it's no Road House." When my comment was met with nothing but blank stares it suddenly dawned on me that many of the people I care about most have not seen the1989 classic, Road House.


I consider this to be a tragedy of epic proportions. Road House is one of the best action movies of the late '80s, and everyone who appreciates that kind of cinema should see it and love it. I am dedicating this post to spreading the gospel of this incredible and hilarious movie, and trust me when I say that you are seriously missing out if you haven't experienced it for yourself.

Road House stars Patrick Swayze as Dalton, a professional bouncer who is hired to clean up a seedy roadside bar in small town Missouri. He ends up defending the locals from a corrupt businessman who rules the town with an iron fist and a private army of thugs. In the process Swazye beats the piss out of a ton of dudes and picks up the local doctor (Kelly Lynch) with the line, "Pain don't hurt." He also calls out to his bouncer-mentor (the amazing Sam Elliot) to help decimate the local bad guy population. Oh, and did I mention that the movie features Jeff Healey as the house act at the bar where Swayze works?

Road House is an outstanding and unique entity in the history of cinema. It's absurd like Point Break but tongue-in-cheek like Commando, and just as fantastic and action-packed as both those movies. You really owe it to yourself to see it if you have a sense of humour and/or a pulse. I too was skeptical when it was first thrust upon me but then I saw the light, and each person with whom I have shared the film has agreed: Road House is awesome.

If you need any further convincing to see it then I'll just add that the movie's tag-line is, "The dancing's over. Now it gets dirty." 'Nuff said.

The Bechdel Test

A recent post at /Film alerted me to the existence of the Bechdel Test, and I must say it really got me thinking. First described in Alison Bechdel's 1985 Dykes To Watch Out For comic strip (below), the test exposes a disturbing trend in mainstream cinema. The test asks three simple questions of any given movie:

1. Are there at least two female characters in the film?
2. Do they talk to each other?
3. Do they talk about something other than men?

If the answer to any of these questions is no then the movie fails the test, and you can check out Bechdel Test.com for a surprising list of films that do and do not pass. It's disheartening to see that such a limited portrayal of women is so prevalent, and that so many good movies perpetuate it. Worse than that it's difficult to admit that the test is still so effective and relevant after 25 years.

The Max Rambles Mixtape Vol. 1

I love playlists. They're great for road trips and bike rides, and a ton of fun to make. As High Fidelity taught us, there's a subtle artistry to creating the perfect melange of tunes and it requires that you listen to a lot good music. What's not to like? A friend and blogosphere compatriot recently posted an excellent mixtape and it made me think, "Why not do the same on my blog?"

So with that in mind I present to you the Max Rambles Mixtape Vol. 1, a collection of things I've been listening to lately and that seemed to fit together nicely. The track list is as follows:

Analogue - Tim Gilbertson

Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen

Wicked and Weird - Buck 65

Change of Time - Josh Ritter

The Dress Song - Jack Marks

Chasing Heather Crazy - Guided By Voices

Random Rules - Silver Jews

New Drink For The Old Drunk - Crooked Fingers

Far Away - José González

What Are You Willing To Lose? - Lucero

Small Definition - Superchunk

Shadow People - Dr. Dog

Toronto - Matty Powell

Road Regrets - Dan Mangan

Visit RapidShare to download the mix (click on the "free user" button under the speedometer on the right and wait about a minute then click on the download link). I don't promise that there will be more of this kind of thing, though it does seem probable. For more awesome tunes check out the aforementioned murder tapes or visit Beyond The Wall of Sleep (I particularly liked their Alt Country Revisited mix). 

Enjoy and lemme know what you think or if you have any recommendations!

moot TED Discussion

4chan founder moot's TED talk is now available online, and you should watch it. It's a fantastic history lesson for those who don't know about 4chan or the significant influence its had on the internet and popular culture. moot also gets a chance to discuss his vision and defend the anonymity that is written into the structure of 4chan. It's a really interesting talk and well worth watching if you're at all interested in technology and culture.

LOL: The Motherfucking Pterodactyl

I don't typically use the internet-speak term "lol," but this comic made me laugh out loud repeatedly. Like, a real guttural chuckle that rose up into and out of my throat and nearly shook me from my chair. I couldn't not share this hilarious Pterodactyl comic from TheOatMeal.com, a site I've recently become aware and a fan of. I strongly suggest you check it out, if only to discover the meaning of the ridiculous image above. Their semicolon use comic is worth a look too.