Last Ten Films We've Seen (as of Oct. 9th): Imports; Lots of Imports

A verse from "The Holy Koran," a bus-stop shaped like a school bus in Athens, Georgia, and a Slovenian folk dance are our three images here in reference to: 1) The Reluctant Fundamentalist; 2) I Am Waiting; and 3) Spare Parts, a film from Slovenia. "Spare Parts" was released as part of the Film Movement dvd series, but it appears the company has lost copyright rights for the films as it is no longer listed as one of their selections (we found the film through a local library).

Interestingly enough, Turkish actor Haluk Bilginler is in both "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and "Innocence."

Here is the list:

1) The Reluctant Fundamentalist. 2012. Director: Mira Nair.

2) Love Crime. France. 2010. Dir: Alain Courneau. w/Kristin Scott Thomas

3) Innocence. Turkey. 1997. Dir: Zeki Demirkubuz.

4) I Am Waiting. Japan. 1957. Dir: Koreyoshi Kurahara

5) Spare Parts. Slovenia. 2003. Damjan Kozole.

6) Wadjda. Saudi Arabia. 2012. Haifaa Al-Mansour.

7) Gone Girl. 2014. David Fincher (excellent movie!) w/ Ben Affleck

8) The Arbor. Documentary. 2010. Clio Barnard.

9) Prisoners. 2013. Denis Villenuuve.

10) Hustling. TV Movie. 1975. Joseph Sargent w/Jill Clayburgh and Lee Remick

http://www.filmmovement.com

http://www.criterion.com

Quote of the Day- Jon Voight

Today, we continue our series of quoting actors who have played real-life American presidents with a quote from the liberal-turned-Tea Partier Jon Voight, 73, who ironically played the iconic Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the film "Pearl Harbor" (2001), which starred Ben Affleck.

More recently, Voight played President George Washington in the right-win political slapstick satire "An American Carol" (2008), a film that had a plot line revolving around the very progressive documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. The film failed at the box office and did not change the shifting political winds as Barack Obama defeated John McCain for the presidency. But, it was very popular with arch conservative talk show hosts, such as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, who actually had a cameo in the film.

Voight is also an Oscar winner for Best Actor as he won the award for his compelling performance in the touching drama "Coming Home" (1978). In recent years, Voight has renounced the film and his co-star Jane Fonda, who also won an Oscar (Best Actress) for her role in "Coming Home."

Bill Murray will also play FDR in the highly-anticipated film "Hyde Park on Hudson."

The Franklin Roosevelt Museum is in Hyde Park, NY.

Here is Voight's quote:

"There's the young Jon Voight and the old Jon Voight."

http://www.michaelmoore.com

Quote of the Day/Week-Matt Damon

Yes, we had quite a hard time finding a useable image of Matt Damon, hence we had to find one of him in a still photograph from "The Talented Mister Ripley" (1999). Just last year, Damon rejoined 'Ripley' cast-mates Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law for the provocative science thriller "Contagion."

Other films that Damon is known for include "Good Will Hunting" (1997) for which he and pal Ben Affleck won Best Original Screenplay Oscars (neither has won an Oscar for acting or directing_ which Affleck has also done), "Syriana" (2005) and "The Departed" (2006).

Damon turns 42 on October 8th; this month we are quoting famous people born in 1970, the year I was born.

Here is his quote:

"I'd heard people say: 'You'll enjoy being famous for a week and you'll never enjoy it again.' But, I don't think I had that week. I may have been working and missed that moment."

SIDEBAR: We want to wish our fellow Turkish-American progressive Cenk Uygur a happy 42nd birthday. I am a mere 17 days older than Uygur who hosts an excellent political talk show on Current-TV at 7:00 p.m. (eastern and Pacific times); I was surprised that Uygur did not mention the milestone on this show tonight.

And, on the other side of the spectrum, Kirk Cameron, who was born on Oct. 12, 1970, making him just four days younger of the politically liberal Matt Damon, has recently been trying to defuse controversial comments he made regarding gays and lesbians. Cameron said that a homosexual lifestyle was detrimental and destructive, but he said that he never meant to hurt anyone's feelings. Cameron, who came to fame from the 1980s sitcom "Growing Pains," is an out-spoken evangelical who has turned his attention to religious-themed films in recent years.

Remembering Howard Zinn (1922-2010)

As a centrist Democrat, I'm sometimes in a quandry about what to think of left-wing intellectuals. There are times when I completely agree with them, like their complaints about George W. Bush's dubious decision to invade Iraq, but there are times when I am soldly against them, like when they say President Barack Obama has too many Wall Street influences (just how can one become president of the country without those connections?).

But, regardless of how one percieves Howard Zinn, arguably the most recognized left-wing intellectual in America for a generation, it does seem fair to say that the world will simply not be the same without him.

Alex Green, an independent bookstore owner in the Boston area, wrote on "The Huffington Post" that Zinn's influence can be seen all over his store.

Noam Chomsky, a contemporary of Zinn's, told "The Boston Globe" that Zinn made a significant contribution to America's moral and intellectual culture.

Zinn also had celebrity friends like actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who mentioned Zinn's work in their Academy Award-winning screenplay for the film "Good Will Huntin."

Affleck told "The Boston Globe" that Zinn had one of the greatest minds in American political life.

Zinn, a long-time professor at Boston University, is best known for his 1980 book "A People's History of the United States," which was recently made into a History Channel docuemtary entitled "The People Speak."

He is also known for his sentiment that one 'can't be neutral.'

SIDEBAR: Though I don't like to focus on crime stories since it detracts from what I aim for on this blog, it would be morally wrong of me not to mention the brutal Morgana Harington slaying, especially since I hail from Roanoke, Va., where she was from. Harington's body was found near Charlottesville, Va., earlier this week. She had disappeared after a Metallica concert in Charlottesville in October. Harington was a student at Virginia Tech. The Washington, DC, radio station WTOP said that Metallica posted a message on their web site expressing their condolences to the Harington family. As an opponent of capital punishment who has been involved with Virginians for Alternative to the Death Penatly (VADP), I am outraged by those who suggest that those with my views sympathize more for the criminals who undertake such horrific crimes than the victims themselves. I certainly hope law enforcement officials find the person responsible for this awful act soon.

SIDEBAR TWO: There are other stories we are working on, and I hope to post my TOP 25 Films of the Year List here very, very soon!