Inspired By A Night Owl...Kinda

Hey everybody,

When you're blogger of the year, you don't just write cool stuff that your blogger brethren love to read.  Heck, if that were enough to win, I might just take that title myself next year - or the year after that - or the year after that one.

No, you've gotta do way more than write stuff we like to read.  You've gotta write cool stuff that helps us see our hobby through a new filter and through refreshed eyes.  And if you're good -  i mean, if you're really good, you inspire other bloggers to write yet even more cool stuff about our hobby.  That's what B.O.Y. Night Owl did with his offbeat, but definitely interesting new "thing".  Over at N.O's blog, he's matching up albums and song titles to cards.

So here's my take on it, my "thing", if you will.  I'm offering up my top 20 movies represented by cardboard.  Two rules to be included:

1. It must be a movie I can watch 100 times or more. 
2. The card must be in my collection (and a Dodger card whenever possible).  Check 'em out...

20. BOOGIE NIGHTS
A movie chock full of young actors just bursting on the scene, Marky Mark Whalberg, Don Cheadle, William Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and veterans Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds.  The story of a young man's rise and fall in the California porn industry, circa 1975-80, and the group of actors, actresses, camera people, hangers onners and the director who become his supportive "family".

"I never take my skates off." 

Karros and Piazza were rumored to love the night life during thier heyday, basking in the glory of being a rich, young baseball player in LA.  Back in those days, whenever we heard a car driving by blasting loud marengue or salsa music, we used to joke, "There goes Raul Mondesi."

19. GHOST DOG: WAY OF THE SAMURAI
Director Jim Jarmusch's  smart, funny and violent study of an African-American hit man (Forrest Whitaker) who follows the ancient ways of the samurai in modern-day Brooklyn, New York.

"If a warrior's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty." 

When Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball, even if unwittingly, he followed the way of a quiet and serious samurai, silently enduring hardship and defeating countless enemies with his physical prowess and the weapons of his chosen art.

18. RAISING ARIZONA
The first true comedy in my countdown.  A quirky and at times, hilarious baby-kidnapping film starring Holly Hunter and Nicholas Cage.  Also, in a brilliant bit of casting as a bounty hunter, 'Tex' Cobb.

"Well, it aint Ozzie and Harriet."

I couldn't for the life of me find anything connecting to the film, so here's a backdoor reference to the All-Star game that was played that year in Arizona.

17. GOODFELLAS

I think we all know this one.

" You're really a funny guy!"

Dodgerdom's first Goodfellas - the 1955 Brooklyn squad.  The first team to bring home the World Series Championship.

Our last Goodfellas - The 1988 Los Angeles squad.

16. ANIMAL HOUSE
Hands down, the absolute funniest college comedy, ever.

"See if you can guess what I am now."
 

The Dodgers have had a few "animals" over the years.  First we had a Toro.

Then we had a Bulldog.

Now we have a Bison.

15. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

Wow. The storming of Omaha Beach scene alone was worth the price of the ticket.

"I was a schoolteacher."

If you were a Dodger pitcher needing a 9th inning save, watching Eric Gagne take the mound meant Game Over! 

Hope you enjoyed the first installment as much as I enjoyed writing it.  Thanks for reading!

Next Post: Part 2