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The Cinematic Katzenjammer

Friday

Follow Friday: Meet the Staff- Ries


So the end of the year is much sooner than you'd expect and will mark the end of the first part of my journey.  However, The Cinematic Katzenjammer is going to change into a much larger site and hopefully the place you come to for all of your movie reviews, trailers, news, and needs. I will be joined by a group of other writers that will help me along the way and in the weeks building up to the end of the year, I will focus on a new writer each week, letting you get to know each of them with a series of questions. 

Ries has become an almost-regular of the site and he's written a handful of reviews, a couple of Pick Six features, and has a lot more in the works. Here are his answers to my questions:

1. What are your Top 3 movies of all time? 
My top three movies. That’s like asking me what my favorite sense is. I suppose if pressed I’d have to land on Casablanca, The Motorcycle Diaries and Raiders of the Lost Ark. (Nearly made the cut – Once. It got edged by Indy. Sorry, Glen and Marketa.)

2. What's one movie you hate that a lot of people love? 
This is an honest-to-God tie between The Princess Bride and Slumdog Millionaire. One I find unbearably cheesy, and the other I find...absurd. On multiple levels.

3. What's your history with writing? 
I've been involved in actively pursuing creative writing since I was about eight. Technically speaking, I published my first piece when I was twelve. My junior high school had a paper we put out called The Wildcat Roar, and in an effort to expand the readership of the paper the teacher in charge of the publication called on me to write a narrative to increase student enthusiasm. The deal worked out, and I wrote the then-longest thing I’d ever written (forty two pages), a horror story called My Name is Justice.

Fortunately for everyone involved, the plan went swimmingly – My Name is Justice was well received by the students, the Wildcat Roar expanded from a single page paper to a pretty hefty manuscript on newsprint, and I felt the rush that comes with finishing a store and putting it out there for people to read. After my senior year at Carmel High School, I won the 2007 Carmel Art Council Award for fiction and went on to study Creative Writing at Knox College and then at DePauw University. I graduated from DePauw with a B.A. in English Writing in the spring of 2011, and am now putting that degree to work...in the Marine Corps. Right.

4. Where do you see yourself in 11 years? 
Oh, I have no idea. If you had asked me at the beginning of my junior year of college where I saw myself after college ended, I quite literally wouldn't have picked the military if I could give nineteen possibilities. The only thing I can say with any conviction is – I will not be in the military. I’d like to be back home in New York. Hopefully in either Manhattan or Brooklyn. And employed.

5. Do you have any movie-watching rituals or habits? 
I’m really picky about sound. I drive theaters crazy when I go, because if their speakers aren't at 100% I’m that asshole who will leave the theater to complain to the management. I don’t eat anything at movie theaters (unless I’m in New York, in which case I guess some part of my brain figures sixteen dollars isn't enough to spend at the theater) but I like to sit as close to the center as possible. When at home, on the other hand, I must have snacks nearby and my Turtle Beach headphones securely on my head and the lights off. Phone tends to go off too. I’m quite serious about film watching.

6. What's THE movie that turned you into a true film fan?
I have no idea. I've loved film passionately for literally as long as I can remember. I used to hope for rainy days because when it was raining outside I was allowed to stay inside and watch movies. The first movie I ever saw was Born on the Fourth of July, but the first movie I ever saw and actually watched was 101 Dalmatians.

7. Who's your favorite actor? 
Humphrey Bogart and Daniel Day-Lewis. (My favorite actresses are Emma Thompson and Cate Blanchett.)

8. Who's your favorite director?
Christopher Nolan. The man is a genius.

9. Would you rather make a movie or star in one?
I’d love to be involved in the writing of a film. And I ever wrote a book that was later made into a film, I’d demand a cameo. Where does that land me?

10. What's one thing you want future readers to know about you? 
Not much. I’m rather private. OH! Oh! Pick me. That I love Walt Disney. As in I love the man, and his identity as an American visionary. I can’t comment on the company as much, unfortunately, but I do love Walt Disney World.

11. Borrowed from Inside the Actor's Studio, If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? 
That’ll do, Ries. That’ll do.

Follow Ries on Twitter @Minuteman2589

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posted by Nick @ Friday, November 30, 2012   7 Comments

Follow Friday: FilmScope

After taking a week off last week, I'm back on track with another Follow Friday. 

This week, I wanted to turn some attention to everyone at FilmScope, especially the ever so talent Mavi (Gavin), the man who's helping me build a new The Cinematic Katzenjammer website. He's incredibly helpful to each and everyone of his fellow bloggers (I'm not the first he's aided in conquering the internet) and does it all because he's just that nice of a guy. I couldn't do a lot of what's on the way without him and I want to give him another thank you that's sure to have thousands more heading his way. 

As for FilmScope, it's a unique movie site that focuses on all of the movies you probably have never heard of or the ones that went by too quickly to see. It focuses on all of the little indie movies, from the good to the bad, with reviews coming out daily. Just checking their front page alone will give you a dozen or so movies to add to your watch list and it's a great way to build up your film library. Some of the movies you don't even realize have actually been realized and you'll find yourself running over to IMDB to double check when that particular film is headed your way. It really is an eye-opening site and I'm glad to not only be a reader (I promise I'll leave more comments, guys!), but a friend of the site as well.

Follow FilmScope on Twitter @FilmScopedotnet

Past Fridays:
Dave Examines Movies
100 Years of Movies
Benend's Basement
Andy Watches Movies
Keith and The Movies
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner


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posted by Nick @ Friday, November 23, 2012   2 Comments

Thursday

Follow Friday: Dave Examines Movies


Dave Gilleand is one of the few bloggers I talk to every day. He's a great guy and we've developed a pretty solid friendship, so my delaying in giving him a little love on Follow Friday is shameful of me. 

 Dave Examines Movies is, in a way, Dave's brother site to the nice little gig he's got going on over at The Examiner. On his own blog, he's able to customize, discuss, and do a lot of things you wouldn't be able to do  on The Examiner. It's a growing site, but demands a lot of attention as he really is a terrific writer. He also creates photoshopped images of himself in actual movie posters and are not only impressive in their quality, but most of the times, hilarious as well. If there's one thing you can takeaway from visiting either of his sites is that Dave works his ass off. From firsthand experience, I know how busy he always is, writing, watching, and photoshopping and I truly believe he deserves more attention for the effort he puts out. I would highly recommend checking out his stuff. 

Past Fridays:
100 Years of Movies
Benend's Basement
Andy Watches Movies
Keith and The Movies
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Thursday, November 08, 2012   3 Comments

Friday

Follow Friday: 100 Years of Movies


This is a little late but I'm hoping the one I'm calling out for Follow Friday still appreciates it. Pat over at 100 Years of Movies is doing an amazing job tearing through Hollywood's history. Pat is literally going through each year of cinematic history, starting with 1910 and moving onward. To give you an idea of the depth of this project, Pat has been blogging for nearly three years and is now just moving into the 1930s. It's an incredibly ambitious mission that needs more attention and I have to commend Pat for keeping up with it. Some of you also may know that Pat was recently a guest on the As You Watch podcast, bringing a hell of a lot of knowledge and enthusiasm. Pat knows his stuff and if you just talk with him, you'll see it. However, in the mean time you should go over to 100 Years of Movies and read his articles. You'll learn a lot, you'll be reminded of forgotten films, and you'll share in the excitement of Pat's journey and the countless films he's watched.

Past Fridays:
Benend's Basement
Andy Watches Movies
Keith and The Movies
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Friday, November 02, 2012   0 Comments

Follow Friday: Benend's Basement


Benend's Basement is another blog I follow that deserves much more love than it's getting. Ben is one of my most "loyal" followers and has probably commented more than anyone. So yes, this is very overdue. 

 Ben is a terrific blogger and writer. He writes constantly, with nearly all of his reviews are about new releases (theatrical or DVD). His layout is simple, his rating system even easier to understand, and if you want to know whether or not to watch a movie, definitely stop by his site. From Certified Classic all the way down to Cinematic Turd, Ben has you set. 

 Ben has also recently teamed up with another blogger for Halloween, where he recommends a horror movie and his partner suggests a recipe for an accompanying dish. So yeah, good flicks and good food. You really have no reason not to stop by. 

Past Fridays:
Andy Watches Movies
Keith and The Movies
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Friday, October 26, 2012   3 Comments

Follow Friday: Andy Watches Movies


This Follow Friday is long overdue and I feel ashamed for not having included him earlier. Andy Watches Movies is an amazing blog that chronicles one man (Andy) and his journey to watch 300 movies in 2012. I personally love the site because it's very similar to my goal of a movie a day and of course, because the fact that he produces some high quality stuff. I have been falling Andy for quite some time now and it's great to see how much his site and his writing has improved over time. He's proven time and again that he's one of the movie bloggers to follow and his dedication to his mission is very admirable. Each Friday, Andy also has a 'Friday Question Fun' where he opens up a discussion about movies that not a lot of us think about each day, like "Is knowing there's a twist a spoiler?" and "How important is popcorn with movies?". Andy is also a member of The Jury and I'm very glad to have him on board. I can't wait to see Andy hit 300 and to see what he does come 2013. 


Past Fridays:
Keith and The Movies
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Friday, October 19, 2012   4 Comments

Follow Friday: Keith & the Movies


So after a little experiment last week where my Follow Friday was dedicated to EVERYONE, this week I'm returning to the single recommendation. 

 Keith & the Movies is a relatively newer blog in my world of following and what not. It does, however, offer a lot of good stuff, from reviews, to lists, to even epic showdowns pitting Stallone vs. Schwarzenegger, and Keaton vs. Bale. Keith is a guy that knows his stuff and loves talking about which makes it even more fun for us as his audience. Keith also has recently created an idea where he has a Vahalla for films, immortalizing certain movies in his own version of a Hall of Fame (and idea I may steal.. borrow). He's also a great guy on Twitter, retweeting what he likes and getting as involved as possible. I'd highly recommend stopping by and checking out what the site has to offer, leave a comment on what you like, and especially check him out on Twitter. I look forward to seeing what else this guy produces. 

Past Fridays:
Man, I Love Films
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Friday, October 12, 2012   4 Comments

Follow Friday: Everyone!


So this is the 10th edition of Follow Friday, and I figured I would do something a little different. This is going to be a collection of Facebook and Twitter links, all telling you who to follow and where. Yes, I am demanding you do all of this because every one of these people are awesome. Do it. Do it. Do it. I want this to be a grand ol' orgy of love. If I list you below, like and follow all the other sites and you'll be showered with love yourself. 

 Friends of the Site:












More Awesome:





Feel free to comment below once you've done your fair share of liking. If there's evidence of your love, you'll surely be rewarded!

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posted by Nick @ Friday, October 05, 2012   15 Comments

Follow Friday: Man, I Love Films


I apologize for the late Follow Friday this week. I've had a busy schedule these last couple of days. Anyway, this week I wanted to focus on Man, I Love Films, a movie site that's much more than an awesome logo. Man, I Love Films is huge, with a massive staff that deliver quality content day in and out. If you're a LAMB member, you're fully aware of MILF and what they've done for the community and for movie blogging in general. MILF has a ridiculous amount of features, from lists galore, "Vault Reviews", trailers, TGITDNMAR (or Thank God It's the Day New Movies are Released), and of course, the wonderful MILF Cast. I could go on for awhile with what MILF has to offer to the movie world, but you should just head on over and check out the site yourself. If you want a laugh, some good information, great lists, and even a handful of games, Man, I Love Films is the place to go. 

Follow Man, I Love Films on Twitter @manilovefilms

or @Kaiderman 

Past Fridays:
Impassioned Cinema
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Friday, September 28, 2012   2 Comments

Thursday

Follow Friday: Impassioned Cinema


Max over at Impassioned Cinema is doing a terrific job. It's a great looking site, simple and to the point, and manages to present a wide combination of reviews, news, discussions, and trailers. The site also packs a hell of a punch with its content with a good chunk of stuff being posted each day. Max is the sole editor on the site and has been able to continually post good stuff each and every day. He's also great in the blogging community, shouting out and giving recognition to fellow bloggers each week with his link roundup, a feature he uses to list all his favorite movie related things from other blogs. Max is also an aspiring filmmaker and has made the short, Light and Dust (see it here) for his thesis project at the Rhode Island School of Design. I highly suggest checking out Impassioned Cinema. As the site grows, I look forward to all the new stuff Max and company (he'll have a staff one day) will produce in the future. 

Past Fridays:
Today I Watched a Movie
Cinematic Corner

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posted by Nick @ Thursday, September 20, 2012   2 Comments

Follow Friday: Today I Watched a Movie

Before I continue with this Follow Friday, I feel like I should apologize to Justin at Today I Watched a Movie. He was the first movie blog I really followed and even introduced me to The LAMB, a community of movie bloggers that I have become incredibly involved with. One would think that I'd throw Today I Watched a Movie up as my Follow Friday a lot sooner and I really have no excuse. So Justin, I am sorry, I hope this "heals the wound that never was". 

 Today I Watched a Movie is a movie blog a lot like mine. He posts a review each day (thus the title) and has kept up with it for a really, really long time. Unlike the usual review format you see on most blogs, TIWM uses a clever little rating system with an even fancier little graph. Justin breaks down each film in five different catergories- Plot, Characters, Visuals, Product Placement, and Rewatchability. Combined, the rating system is measured on a scale between 0 and 3. Justin then makes a fancy little image (poster and all), goes into detail about each section and BAM! you got a nice, easy to read, straight to the point movie review. Thus, you can stop over on his site and find yourself reading review and review. While I have found myself to disagree with a few of his reviews (he's running a contest if you think something he watched should be rated higher), I do enjoy checking out his site and read it every day. 

Past Fridays:

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posted by Nick @ Thursday, September 13, 2012   2 Comments

Friday

Follow Friday: Cinematic Corner


Boy, does time fly. Not only does it feel like it hasn't been a week since the last Follow Friday, but it's already September. This week, I wanted to highlight Lady Sati (or Margaret as her mother calls her) or Cinematic Corner, another sexy blog that's got more than just a pretty layout. Sati does a hell of a good job at breaking down scenes, comparing it to other films, and yes, even reviewing films. Of course, all of this is put together with a gorgeous layout, awesome animated pictures, and even fancier photo-shops. The attention to detail Sati puts into her work is incredible and you can certainly see her passion for film in each and every post. My favorite? Her 48 Hidden Images in Black Swan article. Seeing all of the hidden images throughout the film just make the movie even more haunting and the fact Sati was able to catch them all is even more impressive. Follow, tweet, share, like, friend, upvote, or whatever. Cinematic Corner is worth checking out. 


Past Fridays:
French Toast Sunday
Flights, Tights, and Movie Nights
Two Tickets For...
Two Dude Review
Film Flare

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posted by Nick @ Friday, September 07, 2012   5 Comments

Follow Friday: French Toast Sunday


The last day of August brings us another edition of Follow Friday. This week, I wanted to highlight the great people over at French Toast Sunday, one of my favorite movie blogs out there. The staff consists of six very different individuals who come together and create a wide variety of articles, from all sorts of lists, reviews, a podcast, and even a unique feature where they pair up a brand of beer with a particular movie. As you can imagine, it's all so much fun. There's so much going over at FTS (I call it that because I'm cool), that you can literally get caught up for hours reading all the material on the site. French Toast Sunday also has one sexy layout that screams "We're a legit movie blog!" and as most of you can tell from some re-working I did, I tried to emulate some of their icons (imitation is illegal, emulation is fine, ask Stephen Colbert). So get your asses over there if you haven't already and check out the incredible work going on and the joyous wonders of an amazingly named website. 
Past Fridays:
Flights, Tights, and Movie Nights
Two Tickets For...
Two Dude Review
Film Flare

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posted by Nick @ Friday, August 31, 2012   4 Comments

Follow Friday: Flights, Tights, and Movie Nights

Another week, another Follow Friday. This week I wanted to showcase Flights, Tights, and Movie Nights, a superhero movie blog written by my fellow As You Watch podcaster (and friend), Bubbawheat. Now, FTMN is one of the more niche blogs I've come across, and his focus is primarily super hero movies and what not. But he does have a hell of a lot of content concerning the genre, from short films and interviews, to guest bloggers and discussions. In fact, Bubba was lucky enough to have recently interviewed Thomas Jane (yes, THE Thomas Jane) and produced a quality discussion with the man about his new The Punisher short as well as his future plans. It's a great listen and I would highly recommend checking it out. Bubba also does a hell of a lot of work on the LAMB and is one of the more vocal members in the forums and discussions. It's hard to argue that there's anyone out there working as hard as Bubba and he's absolutely deserving of this recognition. 
Past Fridays:
Two Tickets For...
Two Dude Review
Film Flare

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posted by Nick @ Friday, August 24, 2012   2 Comments

Follow Friday: Two Tickets For...


Man, these weeks seem to be flying by faster and faster. I swear I just wrote a Follow Friday post and another one sneaks up on me. This week, I'd like to feature Two Tickets For, a blog chronicling the reviews of newlyweds, Sarah and Andrew. What makes this blog special is the way they go about writing their reviews. As opposed to a straight, paragraph by paragraph, format, Sarah and Andrew literally interview themselves about the film and turn it into a grand ol' discussion. A lot of the reviews are great reads and the style they have feels incredibly natural. It's also a joy seeing their newlywed love spilled out onto their pages and you can tell their relationship is solid. While that really has nothing to do with a movie blog, it's still nice to see. The duo have been slowly adding new features to their site and I know are more than eager to include trailers and other articles. Expect to see a lot more coming from this good looking couple. 
Past Fridays:
Two Dude Review
Film Flare

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posted by Nick @ Friday, August 17, 2012   3 Comments

Thursday

Follow Friday: Two Dude Review


Another Friday means another edition of Follow Friday. This week, I highly recommend checking out Two Dude Review. The name is a little bit of a misnomer, as Two Dude is actually run by just one guy, Joe, who states that the site's name will become relevant again once his eight year old son starts reviewing movies. Regardless, Two Dude is a great site with a lot going for it. Each week, Joe does weekend box office predictions as well as covering the Blu-ray/DVD releases for the week. He has a wide range he covers and posts reviews multiple times a week. Joe is also a huge fan of the Oscars and tries to keep up to date with news relating to the Academy. For just having one guy running it, Two Dude Review looks great, with a terrific layout that looks pretty damn professional. Joe's also a really good guy. He's another "cast" member of a podcast I just started (should be posting it next week) and I can't wait to continue working with him and getting to know him even more. It's exciting to see another blogger so enthusiastic about movies and after talking with him, I can see his work has a lot of passion behind it. Do yourself a favor and check out Two Dude Review, it has a lot of information you'd not find on most blogs. Plus, Joe's a Philly boy. Get nice with him enough and maybe he'll mail you a homemade cheese steak sammich (I'm still waiting on mine). 


Past Fridays:
Film Flare

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posted by Nick @ Thursday, August 09, 2012   2 Comments

Follow Friday: Film Flare


As I have become more involved in communities across the internet I have come across hundreds of other movie blogs like me. A recurring feature I noticed many of them have is Follow Friday, a feature where one blog gives some tender love and sexy to another blogger and recommends his/her own readers head on over to the suggested site. As this blog would be nothing without all of you and my continually growing audience, I thought I should give back to the community as well. Thus, my first Follow Friday.

When I thought about starting this feature, I had absolutely no doubt about who I'd have to go to first. Sofia over at Film Flare has one of the sexiest, sleekest sites I've seen and I even pop over on occasion just to look at it. The flow is beautiful and you can tell she's put a lot of time into it. But, Sofia's not all about pretty layouts and fancy widgets. She's a great writer that produces a wide variety of things and experiments with a lot as well. She's coming into her own as a blogger and her newest stuff is better than ever. I, for one am incredibly excited to see where she takes the site and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Keep an eye out. 

Follow Sofia on Twitter @msofiateixeira

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posted by Nick @ Thursday, August 02, 2012   6 Comments