Tag: 39 Pontiac Dreamer

Monday Morning Movie Review: Ponty’s Top Ten Best Films: #8: Halloween (1978)

The Portly Politico36 Comments

Just in time for the Halloween season, Ponty pulls out one of the all-time classics from perhaps my favorite director.  You can’t have Halloween without Halloween (1978).

I particularly love how Ponty opens his review discussing the impact of music in film.  Horror soundtracks now seem to be riddled with clichés, like sustained dissonant chords and screechy violin glissandos.  But John Carpenter and others were composing actual music that sounded creepy without resorting to silly gimmicks.  What kid doesn’t sit down at the piano this time of year and try to pick out that theme?

Well, I won’t give much more away; it’s an excellent, lovingly-crafted review.

With that, here is Ponty’s review of 1978’s Halloween:

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Lazy Sunday CLXV: More Movies, Part XXIX: Ponty and Portly’s #1 Worst Films

The Portly Politico2 Comments

At long last, the retrospective of worst films comes to a close.  Ponty and I are both relieved to have this project done, although I think it was harder on him than me.  My capacity for consuming trash—both filmically and gastrointestinally—is a bit more substantial than his own.  Of course, that just means his biting vitriol is that much better:

Perhaps Ponty and I should host a film festival and screen these two flicks, then see which is worse.  Which would be your pick?

Happy Sunday!

—TPP

Other Lazy Sunday Installments:

Monday Morning Movie Review: Ponty’s Top Ten Best Films: #9: Shaun of the Dead (2004)

The Portly Politico3 Comments

Ponty has been plugging away at this Top Ten Best Films, and as I predicted, he’s suffering from an embarrassment of riches.  Doing the bad films was difficult in some ways, but if you call a “bad” film wrong, it’s no big deal—no one would watch it, anyway.

Good films, while rarer, are still abundant enough to make the selection process difficult.  Just when you think you have a sense for your list, you’re reminded of some classic that you managed to forget in the depths of your memory hole.

That was my experience when reading Ponty’s pick.  I love this film (which came out when I was in college), but somehow it had slipped my mind for consideration in my own list.  What a fool I was!  As Dr. Samuel Johnson wrote (to paraphrase, since I don’t feel like looking up the exact quotation): “We don’t need to be taught so much as we need to be reminded.”  So true!

Well, Ponty did an excellent job reminding me in this impressive review.

With that, here is Ponty’s review of 2004’s Shaun of the Dead:

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Call for Submissions: Write for The Portly Politico!

The Portly Politico6 Comments

As my private lessons empire grows to gargantuan heights, I find that getting in time to write—and to write well—is increasingly scarce.  I’m more than willing to pull some late nights slamming out blog posts, but I’m not afraid to ask for help.  Indeed, that’s what I’m doing today.

I already have two excellent contributors:  Ponty and Audre.  Ponty contributes fairly regularly, especially as we’ve been rattling off our lists of the worst and best films; he also pitches in some occasional video game reviews and some photography from time to time.  Audre will pretty much write whenever I ask her to do so, but she has her own blog and is a regular contributor to Nebraska Energy Observer, so I don’t want to lean on her too much (although she knows she is welcome to submit to this blog any time, on any topic).

Of course, Son of Sonnet submits poetry when I commission a piece, but his work commitments are making it more difficult for him to focus on his craft.  That’s unfortunate, but he always has a home here.

I’m looking for posts on virtually any topic—politics, religion, culture, art, music, movies, books, slice-of-life, human interest, history, opinion, etc.  This blog is mostly non-fiction and the occasional poem, but I’m open to publishing short works of fiction, especially as we enter the spooky season.

At this time, the blog doesn’t generate enough income for me to pay for contributions, but I will gift any contributor an entry-level subscription to my SubscribeStar page (assuming I can figure out how to do that).  I may offer a small “bonus” of $5 each month (paid via Venmo) for the contributor with the most views.

So, in other words, the compensation isn’t the greatest.  But, hey, if I’m not making any money, then can you really complain?  And I’m actually a pretty good writer—ding!

But if you’re looking to get your work out there and need an outlet, I’m happy to work with you to make that happen.

My guidelines are fairly simple:  

  • Submit proofread pieces in *.doc or *.docx format, or in the body of an e-mail
  • Include a title, as well as any formatting notes
  • Make sure hyperlinks to referenced websites are working properly (and preferably are already embedded in your text)
  • Again, proofread before submission; it saves me a great deal of time
  • Posts should be around 600 words, minimum, but may be longer; exceptionally long posts might be split into two parts

Also, this blog is a conservative one, and while I don’t mind hearing from other perspectives, I’m inclined to accept only pieces coming from a broadly Christian conservative or traditionalist worldview.  Of course, video game and film reviews are a different matter (usually), but I’m not looking to give progressives another outlet.  Y’all have plenty of those already, and I’d rather not amplify wickedness any more than necessary.

That said, weird stuff is always appreciated.  It’s up to you to figure out what that means.

If you’re interested in contributing, leave a comment below; visit my “Contact” page; or e-mail me.

Monday Morning Movie Review: Ponty’s Top Ten Best Films: #10: A Quiet Place (2018)

The Portly Politico2 Comments

The Top Ten Best Films list now jumps over to Ponty, who I believe is enjoying a much-deserved holiday this week (although that was possibly last week).  Here’s hoping he’s enjoying some peace and quiet.

Speaking of quiet, Ponty’s first pick for his list is a film that explores a terrifying world in which staying quiet is the only way to stay alive.  If only students were similarly terrified into shivering silence.  Oh, well.

It’s a wonderful picture—one of my favorite recent films, too—and a very intriguing concept, executed extremely well.  I could say the same thing about this review, which is exceptionally thorough and interesting (and has me wanting to go back and watch 1963’s Jason and The Argonauts).

With that, here is Ponty’s review of 2018’s A Quiet Place:

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Lazy Sunday CLXI: More Movies, Part XXIV: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part II

The Portly Politico4 Comments

The retrospective on the worst films of all time continues this Sunday with Ponty’s #7, , and choices—and, boy, are they stinkers!

I’ve gotsta hand it to Ponty, though:  he made some diverse selections in this middle tier of bad films.  A slasher, a Christmas flick, and a movie based on a classic Disney ride—what a mix!

Happy Sunday!

—TPP

Other Lazy Sunday Installments:

Ponty’s Friday Morning Video Game Review: Canis Canem Edit (Bully)

The Portly Politico17 Comments

I’m blessed with many contributors to this site, and their efforts have really lightened my load, especially as school has resumed.  One of my most regular contributors is the indefatigable Pontiac Dream 39, also known as Always a Kid for Today.  Here, we call him “Ponty.”

Like myself, Ponty is a gamer.  I don’t have much time for games these days, but I do enjoy the occasional round of something fun with friends—or just playing casually alone.  So it was a pleasant surprise to receive this review from him.

I actually pitched the idea of making Friday video game reviews a regular/semi-regular feature, but Ponty demurred.  That said, I’m hoping he’ll continue contributing video game reviews (he wrote a good review of a game developer for the site some time ago), although as we’re about to kick off our competing lists of the Top Ten Best Films, he may need a bit of a break from all this scribbling!

I never had the pleasure of playing this game, which was released here in the United States as, simply, Bully, before the usual band of moral scolds got the name changed to Canis Canem Edit, Latin for “dog eat dog.”  I do remember seeing it advertised, and finding the premise—a boy fighting against all the hierarchies, social and institutional, of a boarding school—an intriguing premise for a semi-sandbox-style game in the mold of Grand Theft Auto.  Based on Ponty’s review, it sounds like I missed out!

With that, here is Ponty’s review of Canis Canem Edit, or Bully:

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Lazy Sunday CLIX: More Movies, Part XXII: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part I

The Portly Politico2 Comments

Good ol’ Ponty and I have been trading movie reviews back and forth, ranking what we consider to be the worst films of all time.  It was a brilliant idea from Ponty himself, and we’ve had some fun with it, although I think we’re both ready for it to be done (I’ll finish out tomorrow with my pick tomorrow).

With the series drawing to a close—and talk of doing a countdown of the best films of all time–I thought it would be worthwhile to dedicate a few Sundays to going back through our lists.  As such, here are Ponty’s #10, , and #8 picks:

Happy Sunday!

—TPP

Other Lazy Sunday Installments:

Monday Morning Movie Review: Ponty’s Top Ten Worst Films: #1: Batman & Robin (1997)

The Portly Politico21 Comments

After many grueling months, Ponty and I are nearly done with our Top Ten Worst Films lists.  Today marks the end of Ponty’s inglorious run.

I have to applaud Ponty for both conceiving of this “worst of” idea and for his execution.  The man has a talent for unbridled hatred, at least when it comes to bad movies (otherwise, he seems like a lovely, gentle spirit).  The Bible does teach us to hate that which is evil (it’s in one of the Psalms, I promise), and what could be more evil than big budget flicks that waste money producing tripe?  I mean, I guess some gaffers got some work, so that’s good, but, dang!

That said, Ponty’s pick here will be a controversial one for some.  I remember 1997’s “Batman & Robin” somewhat fondly… but I was twelve when it hit theaters.  I remember watching it at home and, in my pubescent boyhood, thinking Poison Ivy was hot (never mind that Uma Thurman looks like an alien).  I also liked Mr. Freeze’s ridiculous ice puns, which I still enjoy saying (“Ice to see you”).

Ah, such innocence.  After reading Ponty’s review, I may have to rewatch the flick after twenty-five years to see if my opinion has matured more than I have myself (I’ve heard that director Joel Schumacher is kind of a freak, which might explain all the nipples on the Bat Suit).  Of course, the point of this list, in part, is to help readers avoid watching bad movies, so would I be violating the implicit spirit of the worst films lists?

Such heady, philosophical conundrums.  Nothing quite like that in Batman & Robin, as I recall.

With that, here is Ponty’s pick, 1997’s Batman & Robin:

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Monday Morning Movie Review: Ponty’s Top Ten Worst Films: #2: Love Actually (2003)

The Portly Politico11 Comments

When Ponty submitted this week’s review, he made the submission twice, because the first one was apparently so laced with profanity, he believed the delicate sensibilities of my readers might protest.  So he resubmitted this review, which, while lacking the language of the original (besides one well-placed f-bomb), still retains the vitriolic evisceration this film so richly deserves.

I vaguely remember when this flick hit the theaters.  I was in high school, or just starting college, and the assistant pastor at church apparently watched it with his wife—until he turned it off in disgust.  I’ve never watched it, but from Ponty’s review, I’m glad I didn’t.  The pastor was right, though you’d think a man of the cloth would have exercised a bit more discretion and discernment before popping this worldly tripe into his DVD player.

When we look about at the state of the world today, and especially of romantic relationships, it’s pretty clear they’re in a bad way.  Men and women distrust each other.  Everyone is out to get whatever will make them feel good, no matter what the consequences to themselves or others.  Broken hearts litter the dating scene like shattered glass in an alleyway.

And it’s all in the name of “love.”  Actually, it’s all in the name of lust.  Satan is good at taking something beautiful—Biblical love—and turning into a tawdry, disgraceful knock-off.

This film surely is one of myriad examples of Satan disseminating this perverted view of “love” to the masses.  Ponty’s review, while uproariously funny and biting, also picks up on this important insight, albeit in a far more entertaining and far less preachy manner.

With that, here’s Ponty’s pick, 2003’s Love Actually:

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