'La Dolce Vita'

Marcello Mastroianni is the coolest motherfucker in movie history.

Anita Ekberg is the No. 1, all-time movie babe. Man, she's hot. Hotter than hot.

However, Fellini knew how to pack any of his films with gorgeous, breathtaking Italian women. He somehow had the ability to make everything better, prettier and cooler. I don't know if Mastroianni is as freakin' cool if he never hooked up with Fellini.

There is a comment about the jet set and celebrity scene. How shallow and torn those people are as they exist in environments that are completely fake and based solely on money. How maddening all of this can be to live in this bubble and never being able to get out without, thus, sacrificing one's livlihood. It's an empty existence. And a sad one as Fellini tells it.

'Vespertine'

I want to take Bjork by the shoulders and tell her just to sing.

No talking. No caterwauling. Just singing. I know she can sing. I guess singing isn't weird enough. Or Icelandic enough.

By the way, considering the state of the Icelandic economy, how's her money situation?

'Paris, Texas'

I had read before watching this film that it was a favorite of rock musicians Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith.

Not only did they have similar movie tastes, but both struggled mightily with substance abuse, grew up and became famous in the same time period and eventually killed themselves.

They also had famalial issues. "Paris, Texas" is wrought with mommy issues. It's perfect for Smith and Cobain.

More interestingly, I wonder what their favorite comedies were?

'Being There'

I just wanted to scream at the TV at all the characters taking the guy seriously. I mean, did everyone not notice he was retarded?

Also, Shirley McLaine is so cute. She's quite a bit older here, but she still brings it. I have a serious, unlawful thing for her.

"Being There" does do something that you don't find in a lot of movies. Having no preconceived notions about the film, I didn't know what it was about or what to expect. I knew Peter Sellers and McLaine starred.

Initially you paint Sellers' character with the broad Forrest Gump brush that has cognitive issues, but he's too wise and lucky for anyone to really notice.

However, as the plot unfolds, you realize it's a comment on modern politics, the media and how people communicate. Or not communicate. It's kinda about not listening, which, by the second hour, you're not yelling at the TV because the other characters wouldn't listen anyway.

'Rear Window'

I've done a lot of Hitchcock this year. A lot.

"Rear Window" is probably the best. It was to be a top five or three Hitchcock film.

It's probably my top Hitchcock film. To have that entire film be made from one vantage point and to have that caliber of acting and storytelling. It's incredibly simple and yet there's so many directors that could never pull off what Hitchcock did.

It's one of the most creative and outside of the box films I've ever seen.

Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly are great. Can't believe a photographer could pull a nice piece like that. I grew up in the wrong decade.

'The Elephant Man'

I give Anthony Hopkins' beard an A+. He looks really good with a beard actually and I don't think I remember him one other than the movie with Cuba Gooding Jr. where he lived with the monkeys or whatever.

This movie is good because it sucks you into the character of the Elephant Man. It's black and white and set in Victorian England and you're wondering how boring this is going to be and it takes 20 minutes for you to absolutely be enthralled by the guy.

I did love the insinuation that the Elephant Man's mom was raped by an actual elephant. Nice touch.

'Moon Safari'

I'll let you guess how many hours I spent doin' nothing, playing Coolboarders 2 in my dorm room while listening to Air's "Moon Safari."

The thing about Air and music of this genre is that probably a lot of people listen to this not thinkign they're music snobs or whatever but it's a great soundtrack for those moments in life that sound better with Moog organ.

I don't follow the careers of Air. I don't pretend to be on top of whatever genre they're a part of or anything. But there's an invaluable component for such an album. It makes the album more valuable to me -- being as it was just a huge part of my life without being a huge part of my life -- than it is to an actual Air fan that loves the album.

And don't get me wrong, it's a great album. Loved re-discovering this.

The answer: Probably about 1,000 hours. There was also quite a bit of Insane Clown Posse involved as well.