Top Tens

These are the first of hopefully many entertaining and informative top tens. We've asked various Ashamed and Bored type artists to tell us all about their favourite things. Chris Summerlin of Reynolds was the first to respond. Incidently an interview with Reynolds will shortly be appearing on this site, as will a review of their new album 'Field Recordings'. It's good by the way.
TOP 10 SIMPSONS EPISODES
By Chris Summerlin of Reynolds
  1. One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish
    Homer eats a poisonous fish and is diagnosed as having 24 hours to live so he makes a list of things he has to do. This is my all time favourite Simpsons episode. Always makes me cry.
  2. Homer The Heretic
    Homer goes on strike from going to church and lays around reading porn in his pants. God joins him on the sofa for a pancake at one point. The house catches fire and Homer is saved by a somersaulting Ned Flanders.
  3. El Viage Mysterioso de Nuestro Homer
    Homer eats a super hot chilli and suffers hallucinations in which a red fox talks to him in the desert, with the voice done by Johnny Cash.
  4. Homerpalooza
    Homer tours the country with an alternative rock show as the guy who has a cannonball shot at his stomach. Sonic Youth appear and do the theme music. Homer disses Billy Corgan at one amazing point. What a guy.
  5. Krusty Gets Cancelled
    Krusty The Clown becomes unpopular and Bart and Lisa arrange a Krusty Comeback Special which is a total copy of the 68 Elvis Comeback special.
  6. The Otto Show
    Features guest appearance by Spinal Tap. Also has this great part where Otto piles the school bus (filled with screaming panic stricken kids) into the river.
  7. The Boy Who Knew Too Much
    Bart skips school and becomes the key witness in the trial of Mayor Quimby's son who is accused of beating a French waiter. Features the line 'go on Frenchie Say Chowder?
  8. The Simpsons 138th Show Spectacular
    Troy MacLure shows favourite Simpsons clips and out takes in front of a studio audience. Has Matt Groening in animated form as a right wing Nazi.
  9. Bart Gets An Elephant
    Bart wins a pet elephant in a radio show. Has a crazy ending where Homer starts headbutting a zoo warden. This is a really odd episode.
  10. Homer: Bad Man
    Homer becomes the victim of the Women's Rights Movement after being accused of groping a babysitters butt. Turns out he was simply trying to retrieve a gummy jelly model of the Venus De Milo which he made Marge steal for him at a Candy Fair. Also has Professor Finke and his Ultimate Sour Ball Sweet.
Honourable mention: the episode where Homer learns about his mum and tries to become a hippy because Yo La Tengo do the end theme music.
The second top ten has been provided by Paul of Monkey Boy. He originally provided it in an innovative countdown style, starting with number ten. But I don't know how to do this with lists. Do you?
TOP 10 FILMS
By Paul of Monkey Boy
Music and films have been the 2 things in my life I have been obsessed with since I was very young, sad I know. I own over 500 films, ten of which I have chosen as my favourites.
  1. 2001
    I love Stanley Kubrick's films. 2001 is one I have seen many times over the years but it was only when I got to the age of around 16 (I'm 26 now) that I understood it......well my idea of understanding it. Everyone seems to have their own interpretation of Kubrick's films which is what makes him one of the best film makers ever.
  2. The Seven Samurai
    It's one of those films that once you start watching you can't turn off
  3. The Time Bandits
    I think all of Terry Gilliam's films are great but this has midgets going through time, stealing and a' robbing while being chased by God. What more could you want!
  4. A Clockwork Orange
    Everyone I knew growing up had a pirate copy of the film. We were lucky enough to have one of the better ones but it was still nothing compered to when I saw it on the big screen last year.
  5. The Planet Of The Apes Series
    It doesn't really need much explaining. I do try to forget the second was ever made though, It's the only one I feel doesn't fit in with the series.
  6. The Six String Samurai
    A low budget, US indie movie. I only heard about this a few years ago and it is only available on American dvd and I'm glad I managed to get hold of a copy. It's set in the future (a mad max kind of place) where Elvis was crowned king. Elvis is dead and Vegas needs a new king. Buddy, The Six String Samurai is going to Vegas to take the throne but runs into the very heavy metal - "Death" along the way. A kung fu movie with a surf rock sound track. Try and track it down if you can it's fucking the best!
  7. Bad Taste
    Peter Jackson's first feature. I remember getting it out from the video shop with my school mates because of the alien on the front giving the finger. One of the best horror/comedy movies ever (along with Evil Dead II of course).
  8. Buffalo '66
    Vincent Gallo's entertaining tale of a revengeful, vindictive, ex-con who spends the first half of the movie wanting to pee so bad he can taste it. You either like or hate the guy but I don't think anyone can say this is not a very well made film. Tarantino and the many wanna-be-Tarantinos don't even come close to this.
  9. Nil by Mouth
    Gary Oldman's directorial debut. I can't watch this film much. It's honest and a little close to home but still a fucking great film.
  10. The Dark Crystal
    I remember going to the cinema to see The Dark Crystal when I was young and it blew me away. Nothing I had seen before it had been so visually and imaginatively stunning. I don't feel any fantasy films have even come close to Henson's magic since.
Issue 6 Contents

 

Issue 6 Summer 2000 © Tim Bragger