Film Babble Blog has been AWOL since my DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE review last July as things have been hectically busy lately, but I’m back to make a self-indulgent post on my Birthday. I’ve been meaning to do something to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of this blog (first post was March 12, 2004) all year, and I finally came up with compiling a list of my Top 10 favorite posts.
Among the movie reviews have been assorted articles, lists, and interviews and this what I consider the cream of the crop. By the way, the pic at the top is from Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation of THE GREAT GATSBY (I just wanted to have a lavish big screen party scene image, the movie isn’t even mentioned in any of these posts).
So let’s get right to ‘em (click on the highlighted titles to read the posts):
1. In Memorium: My Dearly Departed Cat Squiggy (September 14, 2014)
Of course, #1 would be honoring my first adoptive cat, Squiggy, who passed away 10 years ago (Sept. 12, 2014). This remembrance might be too icky for some not cat or pet people, but I think most folks will appreciate the sentiment. Squiggy lives!
2. William H. Macy Chats With Film Babble Blog About His New Film KRYSTAL (April 12, 2018)
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Over the course of Film Babble Blog’s first two decades, I didn’t do many interviews, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to talk to the great William H. Macy. He was promoting his second film as director, the odd Rosario Dawson vehicle KRYSTAL, and it was an insightful, fun phone chat with the acclaimed actor.
3. Ingmar Bergman: The Woody Allen Angle (July 31, 2007)
When the iconic Swedish filmmaker Igmar Bergman passed ion 2007, instead of doing a standard obit, I decided to do a deep dive on his influence on the films of Woody Allen. Now Allen is a controversial figure these days, but this film geek’s noting the many elements whether they be thematic, technical, personal, or personnel that Woody Allen has borrowed from the movie master still holds up to me.
4. Apocalypse Then (September 11, 2021)
My 20th Anniversary recollections of the week of the tragic events of 9/11, which started off with a Birthday viewing of the then new APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX is one of my favorite pieces as it captures my what my world felt like during that sad, shocking time when it felt like the world stopped.
5. That Time Orson Welles Ended His Career (And Life) On An Episode of Moonlighting (December 30, 2023)
I was reminded of the legendary filmmaker’s final moments in front of a camera when Hulu started streaming the hit ABC series, Moonlighting, late last year and I exercise-bike binged it. It’s an interesting tale of how fortunately the late, great CITIZEN KANE actor/writer/director had one last gasp meaning that his ridiculous voice turn in the 1985 animated TRANSFORMERS wasn’t his last credit. The Film Babble Blog favorite Welles was also featured in the posts, A Birthday Tribute To Orson Welles With 10 Welles Wannabes (May 5, 2008), and Classic Cinematic Cameo: Orson Welles in THE MUPPET MOVIE (MAY 6, 2022).
6. That Time THE BODYGUARD Soundtrack Saved Nick Lowe’s Ass (August 12, 2021)
An amusing look back at a happy happening involving the great British singer/songwriter benefiting greatly by the use of one of his classics (albeit a cover) on the best-selling soundtrack of the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner hit, THE BODYGUARD.
7. The Legacy Of Mrs. James Bond 007 (September 10, 2020)
Much like the Bergman post, I was wanting to pay tribute to a legendary figure who had passed (in this case Diana Rigg), but through an specific angle that most obits mentioned but didn’t fully investigate. Another post in this same vein is: How James Bond Was Indiana Jones’ Father Long Before Sean Connery Played Indiana Jones’ Father (October 31, 2020)
The final posts are lists, which I’ve done a lot of over the years. A few of these were featured on the Internet Movie Database when they used to update a “Hit List” on their main webpage. That got my page a lot of action back in the day, which I miss now.
8. 20 Great Modern Movie Cameos (6/5/07)
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9. 10 Definitive Films-Within-Films (7/4/07)
10. 10 Movie Soundtracks That Think Outside Of The Box Office (9/01/09)
So there you go. Hope you enjoyed this trip down Film Babble Blog’s memory lane.
More later…