All Things "Top 5" Thread (Movies, TV Shows, Cities, Countries, Actors, Beers, Restaurants, Athletes, Sporting Events etc.)

Donate To GopherHole
WilliamsArenaGuy said:
New Adventures is #6 for me. I agree on Dead Letter Office/ Chronic Town and the Unplugged albums. They're all fantastic. Love is All Around from '91 is a personal favorite. Have you heard Live at the Olympia? That is loaded with early stuff but recorded in the later years, especially stuff they didn't play as often live. It's so good.
Click to expand...

I do have Live at the Olympia, love it as well. Especially like all the Chronic Town tracks they broke out. In hindsight, I regret not seeing them live after Bill Berry left the band. I was not real big on arena shows, particularly at Target Center. I should have hit one up at the Xcel.

Any idea if the BBC Box set is worth it?
 

Ope3 said:
I do have Live at the Olympia, love it as well. Especially like all the Chronic Town tracks they broke out. In hindsight, I regret not seeing them live after Bill Berry left the band. I was not real big on arena shows, particularly at Target Center. I should have hit one up at the Xcel.

Any idea if the BBC Box set is worth it?
Click to expand...
I saw them (with WIlco opening) at Midway Stadium in '99. That was pretty great. Although the outdoors became a problem when a massive storm went through. Nevertheless, they played on as long as they could and "It's the End of the World..." was quite fitting.

I do not have the box set. Can't offer an opinion on that. There is an awesome podcast with Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman called RU Talkin' REM Re Me? They started with U2, then moved on to REM. They go through every album, and have even had all the members of both bands on (except Bill Berry). They talked about the box set in an episode. Since they are comedians, a lot of it is nonsense (most of which I find funny since I love Adam Scott), but the music stuff is really good too.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
top 5 movies with surprise/twist endings
1. Planet of the Apes (1968 version)
2. Soylent Green (Chuck Heston again....)
3. The Usual Suspects
4. Citizen Kane ("rosebud...")
5. Psycho (again, the original version)
Click to expand...
Replace Citizen Kane with Coco.

Edit: I feel as though I should defend my post before I lose my tOTB cred. Coco truly is a masterpiece and Pixar's best, IMO. I remember saying, "Wow, that's a Usual Suspects level twist" after watching it. There's the one big twist plus a couple other smaller twists. Caught me totally by surprise. Maybe some of the other tOTB dads can back me up.
 
Last edited:

WilliamsArenaGuy said:
I saw them (with WIlco opening) at Midway Stadium in '99. That was pretty great. Although the outdoors became a problem when a massive storm went through. Nevertheless, they played on as long as they could and "It's the End of the World..." was quite fitting.

I do not have the box set. Can't offer an opinion on that. There is an awesome podcast with Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman called RU Talkin' REM Re Me? They started with U2, then moved on to REM. They go through every album, and have even had all the members of both bands on (except Bill Berry). They talked about the box set in an episode. Since they are comedians, a lot of it is nonsense (most of which I find funny since I love Adam Scott), but the music stuff is really good too.
Click to expand...

The Midway show is another huge lament. I have seen over 50 Wilco/Tweedy shows, but that was not one of them. I was committed to a golf tourney that day, and getting there on time was going to be problematic. I still had thoughts of going right up to the last minute, but held off due to the storms.

I will have to check out the podcast, I have heard a few of the U2 episodes.

Back to Automatic for the People, when the anniversary reissue was released Stipe and Mills did an extended sit down with Dan Rather on "The Big Interview" on AXS. Well worth tracking down if you can find it.
 

Top 5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (pop)
1. The Life Aquatic - those Portuguese Bowie covers are great
2. Snatch - Ritchie takes a Tarantino approach to music in his movies
3. The Darjeeling Limited - The Kinks!
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - like the nostalgic songs paired the the futuristic scifi
5. Pulp Fiction - classic
 
Last edited:


Top 5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (orchestral)
1. Backdraft
2. The Hateful Eight
3. Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit series
4. Star Wars series
5. Jurassic Park
 

Nokomis said:
Top 5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (orchestral)
1. Backdraft
2. The Hateful Eight
3. Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit series
4. Star Wars series
5. Jurassic Park
Click to expand...
OK, work with me on this. I don't know if one would call it pop (various composers, sung by Bryan Adams) or orchestral (Hans Zimmer), but the soundtrack to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is one of the great, if not greatest, movie soundtracks ever. I also think it's one of the great American films. It's a movie I wouldn't ever have seen if I didn't have daughters who were little when it came out. Easily Zimmer's best work IMO.
 

Bad Gopher said:
OK, work with me on this. I don't know if one would call it pop (various composers, sung by Bryan Adams) or orchestral (Hans Zimmer), but the soundtrack to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is one of the great, if not greatest, movie soundtracks ever. I also think it's one of the great American films. It's a movie I wouldn't ever have seen if I didn't have daughters who were little when it came out. Easily Zimmer's best work IMO.
Click to expand...
What a crazy coincidence! My daughter just started watching episodes of Spirit on Netflix this week. She loves it, and my wife says it's actually pretty good (I watched The Hobbit with my boys). Looks like the series is probably based on the movie, so we'll have to check it out.
 

WilliamsArenaGuy said:
New Adventures is #6 for me. I agree on Dead Letter Office/ Chronic Town and the Unplugged albums. They're all fantastic. Love is All Around from '91 is a personal favorite. Have you heard Live at the Olympia? That is loaded with early stuff but recorded in the later years, especially stuff they didn't play as often live. It's so good.
Click to expand...

I elected to Accelerate (see what I did there) my listening of Automatic for the People. First off, the remastered anniversary version sounds just awesome, quite an upgrade especially the strings/acoustic guitars/mandolin.

Looking back, I had not revisited this album much because I am not real big on Drive or Everybody Hurts. Those also got played to death on virtually all radio formats and MTV. Those songs to me are a bit slow and drone on, but hey that's just me.

Listening to the album in full again, I realize there is a lot of great stuff. While it won't crack my Top 5, I put it right there on my next tier with other Warner Bros titles, Green & Out of Time.

Man on the Moon and Nightswimming have always been among my favorite REM songs, and that was reinforced. When you add it with Find the River, what a powerful ending. Those 3 songs are as good as any trio of REM songs in a row.

Other great tracks I rediscovered are Try Not to Breathe, Sidewinder, Monty Got a Raw Deal & Ignoreland. I certainly will listen to this album more frequently going forward.
 



Nokomis said:
What a crazy coincidence! My daughter just started watching episodes of Spirit on Netflix this week. She loves it, and my wife says it's actually pretty good (I watched The Hobbit with my boys). Looks like the series is probably based on the movie, so we'll have to check it out.
Click to expand...
Episodes? There's a series? I was referring to the 2002 feature film.

I frickin' love that movie. Even the opening narration (by Matt Damon) gives me the chills: "They say that the history of the west was written from the saddle of a horse, but it's never been told from the heart of one. Not till now. I was born here, in this place that would come to be called the Old West. But, to my kind, the land was ageless. It had no beginning and no end, no boundary between earth and sky. Like the wind and the buffalo grass, we belonged here, we would always belong here. They say the mustang is the spirit of the West. Whether that west was won or lost in the end, you'll have to decide for yourself ..."
 

Ope3 said:
I elected to Accelerate (see what I did there) my listening of Automatic for the People. First off, the remastered anniversary version sounds just awesome, quite an upgrade especially the strings/acoustic guitars/mandolin.

Looking back, I had not revisited this album much because I am not real big on Drive or Everybody Hurts. Those also got played to death on virtually all radio formats and MTV. Those songs to me are a bit slow and drone on, but hey that's just me.

Listening to the album in full again, I realize there is a lot of great stuff. While it won't crack my Top 5, I put it right there on my next tier with other Warner Bros titles, Green & Out of Time.

Man on the Moon and Nightswimming have always been among my favorite REM songs, and that was reinforced. When you add it with Find the River, what a powerful ending. Those 3 songs are as good as any trio of REM songs in a row.

Other great tracks I rediscovered are Try Not to Breathe, Sidewinder, Monty Got a Raw Deal & Ignoreland. I certainly will listen to this album more frequently going forward.
Click to expand...
Find the River may be my favorite REM song ever. And that ending with Man on the Moon and Nightswimming is indeed their apex. I love Everybody Hurts and the video makes that one even better. Drive, Try Not to Breathe, and Monty Got a Raw Deal are also classics to me. Thanks for the update! It's fun to hear other opinions.
 

5 great debut albums:

Pete Yorn: Music for the Morning After
Pearl Jam: 10
REM: Murmur
Kacey Musgraves: Same Trailer, Different Park
The Cars: The Cars
 




WilliamsArenaGuy said:
Find the River may be my favorite REM song ever. And that ending with Man on the Moon and Nightswimming is indeed their apex. I love Everybody Hurts and the video makes that one even better. Drive, Try Not to Breathe, and Monty Got a Raw Deal are also classics to me. Thanks for the update! It's fun to hear other opinions.
Click to expand...

Allow me to get bit sidetracked from the Top 5 theme and mention my REM Turf Club story again. Last year I went to see the Minus 5 at the Turf Club. That's the band led by unofficial REM member Scott McCaughey with Peter Buck and a rotating cast. McCaughey was bouncing back from a stroke so this time Mike Mills joined the tour to support him.

I'm not normally a guy who gets star struck but that was a major exception. When my friend Rich Mattson's band was opening up those guys were standing about 10 to 15 feet away from me watching. I just kept looking over at them thinking "Oh my God, it's Mike Mills and Peter Buck RIGHT THERE!"

By the way, if you miss Buck's guitar playing he has done a ton of albums with McCaughey in various forms. By my count they have been in 5 bands together.
 

Frink said:
Allow me to get bit sidetracked from the Top 5 theme and mention my REM Turf Club story again. Last year I went to see the Minus 5 at the Turf Club. That's the band led by unofficial REM member Scott McCaughey with Peter Buck and a rotating cast. McCaughey was bouncing back from a stroke so this time Mike Mills joined the tour to support him.

I'm not normally a guy who gets star struck but that was a major exception. When my friend Rich Mattson's band was opening up those guys were standing about 10 to 15 feet away from me watching. I just kept looking over at them thinking "Oh my God, it's Mike Mills and Peter Buck RIGHT THERE!"

By the way, if you miss Buck's guitar playing he has done a ton of albums with McCaughey in various forms. By my count they have been in 5 bands together.
Click to expand...

I have always enjoyed Mattson's projects. It was a great bonus when Ol' Yeller would be opening for Son Volt, Wilco, The Jayhawks etc.

Also had the same feeling as you seeing Buck play with the Minus 5 when they opened for Tweedy at 1st Ave in 2015. Of course, Buck was a major reason that I followed Tweedy, Farrar, Son Volt, Wilco & Uncle Tupelo in the first place. I took a flier on Uncle Tupelo's March 16-20, 1992 based on him producing the album.
 


WilliamsArenaGuy said:
New Adventures is #6 for me. I agree on Dead Letter Office/ Chronic Town and the Unplugged albums. They're all fantastic. Love is All Around from '91 is a personal favorite. Have you heard Live at the Olympia? That is loaded with early stuff but recorded in the later years, especially stuff they didn't play as often live. It's so good.
Click to expand...
Live in Madison Wisconsin, 1982 can be heard on youtube if you haven't heard any of it. I have a cd somewhere. Not sure how I got it or when, but it is really good.
 

WilliamsArenaGuy said:
5 great debut albums:

Pete Yorn: Music for the Morning After
Pearl Jam: 10
REM: Murmur
Kacey Musgraves: Same Trailer, Different Park
The Cars: The Cars
Click to expand...

I'll add:
Sex Pistols: Never mind the Bollocks
Stone Roses: Stone Roses
The Strokes: Is This It
The Charlatans UK: Some Friendly
Ride: Nowhere
 

Frink said:
Allow me to get bit sidetracked from the Top 5 theme and mention my REM Turf Club story again. Last year I went to see the Minus 5 at the Turf Club. That's the band led by unofficial REM member Scott McCaughey with Peter Buck and a rotating cast. McCaughey was bouncing back from a stroke so this time Mike Mills joined the tour to support him.

I'm not normally a guy who gets star struck but that was a major exception. When my friend Rich Mattson's band was opening up those guys were standing about 10 to 15 feet away from me watching. I just kept looking over at them thinking "Oh my God, it's Mike Mills and Peter Buck RIGHT THERE!"

By the way, if you miss Buck's guitar playing he has done a ton of albums with McCaughey in various forms. By my count they have been in 5 bands together.
Click to expand...
I think three of my friends have had Rich Mattson play at their weddings. He mixed a few of their albums as well I seem to remember. Top notch dude.
 

tikited said:
I think three of my friends have had Rich Mattson play at their weddings. He mixed a few of their albums as well I seem to remember. Top notch dude.
Click to expand...

That's excellent! He's a great guy and I've seen him perform live more than anyone else and it's not close. I could actually put together a Top 5 list of my favorite bands he's been in. And yep, he does good work as a producer. He had a couple spaces down here and then about 15 years ago he moved back to the Iron Range and has been running Sparta Studios since. Everyone I know who has recorded there absolutely loves the result.
 

Nokomis said:
Top 5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (pop)
1. The Life Aquatic - those Portuguese Bowie covers are great
2. Snatch - Ritchie takes a Tarantino approach to music in his movies
3. The Darjeeling Limited - The Kinks!
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - like the nostalgic songs paired the the futuristic scifi
5. Pulp Fiction - classic
Click to expand...

 

top 5 concept albums/Rock Operas
(defined as albums that tell a complete story with a common theme)

1. Tommy - the Who
2. Jesus Christ Superstar - the original version
3. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Quadrophenia - The Who
5. Red Headed Stranger - Willie Nelson

FWIW - the original recording of JC Superstar came out before the show ever appeared on stage. It was basically recorded as a 'proof of concept' for the show. If you've never heard it, give it a listen. the entire album can be played for free from YouTube.

And - Pete Townsend tried to create a 3rd concept album for the Who called "Lifehouse." the story was set in a dystopian future with rebels saving humanity by bringing back Rock music. Nobody could understand Townsend's vision and the idea was scrapped, but they took the best songs he had written and that became the album "Who's Next." Other songs showed up later on other Who albums or some of Townsend's solo projects.
 



The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists is my favorite concept album.
 

Bad Gopher said:
Episodes? There's a series? I was referring to the 2002 feature film.

I frickin' love that movie. Even the opening narration (by Matt Damon) gives me the chills: "They say that the history of the west was written from the saddle of a horse, but it's never been told from the heart of one. Not till now. I was born here, in this place that would come to be called the Old West. But, to my kind, the land was ageless. It had no beginning and no end, no boundary between earth and sky. Like the wind and the buffalo grass, we belonged here, we would always belong here. They say the mustang is the spirit of the West. Whether that west was won or lost in the end, you'll have to decide for yourself ..."
Click to expand...
Ok, we watched Spirit last night. Good movie, but I don't think I enjoyed it as much as you did. And I certainly don't think it's anywhere near Zimmer's best work -- Backdraft is still my #1.

I do have a minor quibble with the opening monologue that maybe soiled the rest of the movie for me. Mustangs are basically feral horses and an invasive species introduced by European settlers. So I have to disagree with Matt that they "always belong here". Sorry to go all woke on your movie...
 

Top 5 Comedy TV Show Characters:

1. Cosmo Kramer
2. Ron Swanson
3. Dwight Schrute
4. Michael Scott
5. Cliff Clavin

Go Gophers!!
 

Top 5 Drama TV Show Characters:

1. Walter White
2. Omar Little
3. Coach Taylor
4. Jax Teller
5. Dexter Morgan

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Top 5 Comedy TV Show Characters:

1. Cosmo Kramer
2. Ron Swanson
3. Dwight Schrute
4. Michael Scott
5. Cliff Clavin

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Good list. I'll add these five in no particular order:

Chris Traeger
Buster Bluth
Raymond Holt
Rose Nylund
Jack Donaghy
 

BleedGopher said:
Top 5 Drama TV Show Characters:

1. Walter White
2. Omar Little
3. Coach Taylor
4. Jax Teller
5. Dexter Morgan

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Good list. I'll add these five in no particular order:

Gus Fring
Benjamin Linus
Adrian Monk
Denny Crane
Sherlock Holmes
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom