Battle of the Super Heroes - Results

Super heroes was the theme of this weeks battle. And unfortunately, I was so busy this weekend I was not able to get the results posted when they were due. If I were the flash, I could have written this up and posted it in a second flat. If I were the Doctor, I could travel in my Tardis, back in time so I would have more time to finish. If I were Hiro Nakamura I could just stop time, and resume again when I was done. If I were Saturn Girl, I could just mind control someone to ghost write this for me.

But I am none of those super heroes, so let me just apologize for posting this late.

On to the battle:

The first round of this true Super Hero battle was interesting as it saw votes come in for almost every theme song. The Justice League received one vote, Batman received three, Spiderman two and Inspector Gadget one. Batman takes an early lead.

The second battle was between only three of the contenders. They were Spiderman, receiving four of the votes, Batman with another two and Inspector Gadget with another vote. This put Spiderman swinging to the top of the list.

For the third round of battles, it was another three-way tie between Batman, He-Man and Inspector Gadget, each receiving two votes. With the exception of the X-Men, so far every theme song has been represented. With the extra votes, Batman was again dominating this Super Hero dog pile.

Inspector Gadget wins the fourth and final round with three votes. But with Batman and Spiderman each receiving an additional two votes, Batman held on to his victory. Just barely beating the Spiderman theme song.

The Final Tally?
Batman - 9
Spiderman -8
Inspector Gadget - 7

He-Man - 2
Justice League -1
X-Men - 0

Of the additional questions, favourite super hero broke down this way.
(Keep in mind, not every voted for the following two questions)
Batman - 4
Wonder Woman - 1
Beast - 1
Iron-Man - 1
Wolverine - 1
Deadpool - 1

Favourite Super Power?
Flight - 4
Invisibility - 3
Teleportation - 3
Weather Control - 1
Super Intelligence - 1
Time Travel - 1
Telepathy - 1


Top Comments

FAE - Jeffrey, no apologies necessary here, this was really a good idea and a lot of fun.

Stephen T. McCarthy - JEFFREY, this was a fantabulous BOTB installment. No reason whatsoever to sound the least bit apologetic. I wish I'd thought of this one. I'm 56, so the only two that I knew were SPIDERMAN and BATMAN. This was a total no-brainer, piece o' cake vote for me: Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-DUH! BATMAN!!!
Man, when I was a child I drank, ate and breathed Batman. I would do anything my Ma told me to at the threat "there'll be no Batman tonight..." Anything she said. Done!

Robin – I watched Spiderman, Batman & Robin, and the Justice League. In fact, I remember getting up "early" on Saturday morning so I didn't miss Justice League. As you know, you couldn't record it and watch it later. Plus, cartoons only aired from 8-noon on Saturday and that was it. Done for the week.

Arlee Bird - No real contest for me. Hands down my favorite is "The Batman Theme". I used to have the 45 and it's a nice piece of music. I also do like the theme from Inspector Gadget--classic in a Henry Mancini "Pink Panther" sort of way.

dolorah - Ah Jeff, that was a lot of fun. Brought back fond memories of Saturday morning cartoons when I was a kid.

Cherdo –Wow, this is fantastic! So much for traditon - I love the way you're thinking outside of the box (which is a television from the 70s, by the way).

Stephanie Faris - Spiderman...who can forget that song? It gets stuck in your head and won't go away!

Michele Truhlik What a fun battle Jeffrey!!

Spacerguy - Awesome BOTB selection

Madilyn Quinn –What a neat idea!

Guilie Castillo - The one that gave me chills was He-Man, hahahahahaha. I was *not* expecting that. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I watched Spiderman and Batman mostly in Spanish (growing up in Mexico), and the songs were also translated. But He-Man was one of those Saturday morning cartoons I watched a lot during the 2 years I spent in the US — and, obviously, in English.

Crystal Collier - Really? REALLY? I'm supposed to just pick one?

Cathy Kennedy - Jeffrey, this is a fun battle.


Winners Circle
Adam West, AKA Batman. Celebrates his victory this week with the Bat-Dance



Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle December 1st.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.

FAR AWAY SERIES
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
BOOK LOVER
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE

Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Any person familiar with a good Super Hero movie knows, there is special material at the end of the credits. So here is the bonus material I've decided to place this week.

Battle of the Super Hero Theme Songs

I need to apologize I think. This battle of the bands, I'm breaking from tradition. This time, (and only this time), I'm doing something a little different. I'm posting several of my favourite Super Hero theme songs and looking to see which one everyone else thinks is best. Unlike other battles, the video along with the song is part of the package.

I'll be honest, I'm doing this for several reasons. First of all, it's a weekend and my time, unfortunately, is limited. I've had to put in some extra time at work. This is also a battle I've been planning on hosting as a special, but since I'm pressed for time, I'm using this one now.

Additionally, I have not been feeling well the past few days and don't feel like putting my all into selecting a musical battle. Finally, whenever I'm feeling down, nostalgia always cheers me up. I'll be back to the regular BOTB format next month. Same blog time, same blog channel. Hope you all have fun with this one.

Since these are so short, I've thrown in a few to enjoy/watch. Please select the one you like the best, or feel is the most nostalgic for you. And since we are having fun this time, I'd like to know which you like the least.

Spiderman


Batman


He-Man


Justice League


Inspector Gadget


X-Men



Which super hero theme song did you enjoy best? Which did yo like least? Don't be shy, vote now.
Polls for this showdown will remain open till 22 November, 2015 at which point I'll cast my own vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
Who is your favourite Super Hero?
Do you have a favourite cartoon?
What is nostalgic to you?
What super power do you wish you had?

Did you enjoy this Battle of the Bands feature? Come back on 1st December when I'll have a new battle. Also, be sure to check out my friends below who have banded together to offer up their own musical battles.

FAR AWAY SERIES
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
YOUR DAILY DOSE
BOOK LOVER
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE

Jumping Is Fun (For Some People)

R.a.n.t. of month November 2015

Remember when we were all kids? We didn't need fancy video game consoles or iPhones bogged down with endless apps and what-not. (Why do I suddenly sound like an old man? "Back in my day, we played in quick sand and ate dead frogs. And we liked it!") Playing outside was good enough for us. My mother was always sending me outside first thing in the morning and I wasn't making my way back till the sun was setting. What did I do this entire time? Plenty. My friends and I did a lot of running around and jumping.

In one field we played in,someone noticed a hole in the middle of the filed. It was huge (at least to our eyes), but despite that we took our turns jumping over it. If you didn't jump, you were chicken. The problem is, if you jumped and misjudged the distance or (in my case) misjudged your jumping ability, things went wrong. This usually resulted in a twisted ankle. Of course, I was the dumb one to get up and try again. Some people never learn.

The problem is, many adults still have a tendency to do a lot of jumping. Instead of jumping over holes, they are jumping over discernment. In other words, jumping to the wrong conclusion. Instead of going to a person and asking what is going on or why they have done something, they jump to their own conclusion and have already decided you are doing something they do not agree with.

Does the person discuss this with you? Of course not, that would only make sense. But they do seem to tell everyone else. Suddenly, no one knows what to believe. And unlike the children doing the jumping, usually the 'ankle' of someone else is injured, instead of the jumpee. I seem to think this happens more than anyone else cares to admit. Or am I jumping to conclusions here?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Do you like to r.a.n.t. too?

* R.a.n.t. - an acronym for 'Rage About Nothing, Typically'. It's writing about life's little nuances that are, (for the most part), trivial. Something we can all relate to. Do you have something that irritates you? Would you like to r.a.n.t. about it?

Of course you would! Join the R.a.n.t. blog hop today.

When will this ranting take place?
The second Monday of each month.

How long should my r.a.n.t. be?
The length is up to you, I find one or two short paragraphs enough to quench my rage.

How do I join?
Let me know you are interested. To the right, you'll notice a banner you can proudly use on your site.

Who else is participating?
Glad you asked.
Joining me for November 2015
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Chrys Fey

Is this a continual blog hop?
For me, it's a continual series I'll be doing every second Monday of every month. If this is something you'd like to do on a regular basis with me, that would be awesome. Or you can sign up for a single month. It's up to you, whatever you can manage. Just let me know.

What should I r.a.n.t. about?
Whatever you feel irate about. Preferably, something that's been bugging you.
Examples: Your writing - the supermarket - annoying people - drivers
The sky is the limit.

Battle of the Bands Results - Hazy Shade of Winter

I was a little surprised the voting for this battle was so sparse. Perhaps everyone was preparing for the Winter after my reminder it was fast approaching? Because there was such a low turn-out, we only had three rounds this turn.

The first round consisted of only four votes. It seems both contenders were indeed here to put up a fight, despite the attendance. After our first round, both musical battle teams were even.
Bangles received votes from: Alex & Arlee
Simon & Garfunkel received votes from: Shady & Hilary

The second round was again only four votes. But unlike the first round, this one did not end in a tie. Simon and Garfunkel outmatched the Bangles and beat them 3-1. This gave Simon & Garfunkel a two vote lead, heading into the third and final round.
Bangles Received a vote from: Stephanie Fairs
Simon & Garfunkel received votes from: FAE, Robin & Stephen McC

Our third and final round consisted of another four votes. Well, five if you count mine. I mention that because without my vote, the third round was to be a tie. I broke the tie and cast my vote giving the Bangles a third round win. As you'll notice, the first round was a tie, the second round was won by Simon and Garfunkel, and the third was a Bangle victory. So it comes down to overall votes.
Bangles received votes this round from Cathy, Madilyn and myself.
Simon and Garfunkel from Michele and Debbie.

Final score Bangles with 6 / Simon & Garfunkel 7
It was a close battle, but Simon and Garfunkel win!


Top Comments
Shady Del Knight - I enjoy both versions of "Hazy Shade of Winter." If the Bangles would have slowed down the tempo a few BPM and not rendered the song at such a frantic pace, then I believe I would have voted for their recording. My vote goes to the S&G original because the pace is more laid back which, in my humble opinion, is a better fit for the song's theme.

Arlee Bird - Gosh, I hadn't heard that song in ages. I'd forgotten how good it was. I like the Bangles version a lot, but I'm more used to hear S&G doing it. Listening again through the refreshment of not having heard this in a while I think I'm going to be a bit rebellious and vote for the Bangles. I think they do some more interesting things with the song. Yes, I insist--my vote goes to the Bangles.

Stephen T. McCarthy - The Bangles against the S&G original? Ha! Tell me you're joking, Bro!

Stephanie Faris - Two TOTALLY different types of music! But I'm a child of the 80s, so I'm The Bangles all the way. I had all their albums as a teen and loved their music. I'm not really a Simon & Garfunkel fan...their music is just too mellow. Not that I don't appreciate their talent...it just wasn't my era.


Winners Circle
Congratulations to Simon & Garfunkel
Since the attendance was so low for this battle, let's listen to them perform the Sound of Silence. Enjoy


Thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle November 15th.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.

STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
YOUR DAILY DOSE
BOOK LOVER
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
FAR AWAY SERIES
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS

Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Time Travel Museum

November 5th, 1955 is the date time travel was invented. And yet scientists have recently discovered time travel has been with us for a long time. One piece of evidence can be found HERE.

These time travel devices come in many shapes and sizes. Each have their own special abilities. Would you like to learn more about the technology and science of Time Travel? Then good news!

The European Time Travel Institute (TETTI) is finishing construction on their Time Travel Museum. Scheduled to be open to the public fall of 2017.

Several scientists have already been scheduled to field Q&A session and offer brief demonstrations.
Best of all, the museum will be filled with displays of all Time Travel machines; both real and ones featured in films.

Examples of a few of the displays follow:

Name: Flying Delorean

History: Created by Doctor Brown to keep tabs on the progress of man.

Ease of Use: Average difficulty, knowledge of setting clocks and the ability to drive a car.

Special Features: Equipped with a hover-conversion and fuelled by garbage.

First Appearance: Back to the Future - Summer 1985

Quote: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" - Doctor Brown

Name: Time Machine

History: To discover how mankind will evolve, George creates a time machine.

Ease of Use: High - Move lever forward to go forward in time and backward to go backwards.

Special Features: Can watch the passage of time as you travel.

First Appearance: The Time Machine, written by H.G. Wells 1895

Quote: "If that machine can do what you say it can do, destroy it, George! Destroy it before it destroys you!" - Filby

Name: Time Bubble

History: Used in the distant future (31st century) by a Legion of Super Heroes to travel back and forth to the 21st century (and other eras).

Ease of Use: Average - Apparently can be used with just a little technical training.

Special Features: Travels in space as well as time.

First Appearance: Adventure Comics #247 - April 1958

Quote: "Wait.. Wasn't the time bubble on THAT side of the room?" - Saturn Girl

Name: T.A.R.D.I.S.

History: Used by the renegade Time Lord known only as "The Doctor"

Ease of Use: Difficult - Even the Doctor has problems steering the time machine.

Special Features: Can travel in space as well as time. The inside is vastly bigger than the outside.

First Appearance: BBC Television - November 23, 1963

Quote: "It's bigger on the inside than on the outside." - Almost every companion of the Doctor.

Name: Omni

History: When history goes wrong, it's Phineas Boggs job to correct things.

Ease of Use: High - Simply set the location and time and press a button.

Special Features: Indicates when history is wrong, and when it has been corrected. Travels in location as well as time.

First Appearance: Voyagers TV series - 1982

Quote: "We travel through time, to help history along, give it a push where it's needed." - Phineas Bogg

Name: Phone Booth Time Machine

History: Used by Bill & Ted to acquire personages from history to help pass their history exam.

Ease of Use: Above Average. Can be used by a couple of nit-wits.

Special Features: Can be used for magic tricks. Also travels in location as well as time.

First Appearance: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Summer - 1989

Quote: "Gentlemen... we're history." - Rufus

Name: HMS Bounty

History: Klingon battle cruiser commandeered by James Kirk travelled back in time to rescue a pair of whales.

Ease of Use: Difficult. Ability to operate a starship is required as is the ability to speak or read Klingon.

Special Features: Designed as a Star Ship for interstellar travel.

Quote: You're going to try time travelling in this rustbucket?

Name: Uncle Rico's Time Machine

History: Purchased by Uncle Rico from the Internet

Ease of Use: Impossible. Has yet to function properly.

Special Features: Destroys your ability to have children.

First Appearance: Napoleon Dynamite - 2004

Quote: "It's a piece of crap, it doesn't work!" - Napoleon Dynamite

Questions for discussion:
Which of these is your favourite time machine?
Did we miss your personal favourite in this posting?
Will you check out the Time Travel Museum?
Are you a time traveller and would like to be involved?

These and many others can be found in the Time Travel Museum
Brynbala Way; Cardiff, Wales

For additional information please inquire below in the comments or call:
TETTI - Washington State Branch, U.S.A. (206)-984-6564
Those wishing to be involved can fax over a resume to the same number listed above.

I.W.S.G. (3) - Creative Characters

One of the things that has always concerned me about my writing is coming up with interesting characters. Back when I first started writing seriously, my characters were one dimensional and drawn from real life people. In the series I'm writing, many characters are drawn from real people. So I never gave them much depth because I expected all my friends who read my stories to know everything about them (I was only about 17 at the time). Character development was something I hadn't even thought of. As such, a lot of my dialogue went this way:

Jeff said, "Look!"
Kevin said, "What does she want?"
Jenny replied,"Why are you sitting here?"

Not taking any writing courses, I'm always worried I have not developed my characters fully enough. But I read many articles online and have various times subscribed to Writers Digest. With a lot of practice, my characters now feel as if they have more dimension because I follow tips on how to flesh out characters. In fact, now when I write, I create character sheets for just about anyone appearing in my stories. I try to find three words to identify what sort of person they are, list their likes, their dislikes, and a bit of their background. Even if I don't utilize those aspects in the story, my characters seem to have more depth and my writing has more depth too.

* * * * * * * * * *

Erick suddenly felt ill when he saw his ex-girlfriend walking towards him. "Crap, Kenny! Jenni's walking over here. I can't deal with her right now."

"I think she still wants you," Kenny said laughing. "Or she's looking for her lost diary again. Are you sure you didn't steal it?"

Erick realized Kenny was joking, but he didn't appreciate either comment.

"You do realize, of course, you are sitting at my table? I'm going to have to ask you to move."

Erick and Kenny exchanged looks. Who did she think she was? Lord of the Lunch-room?

* * * * * * * * * *
So I think my writing has developed, but are my characters truly unique? I'll be exploring that topic next time.

Questions:
What process do you use to create characters?
Do you have any characters based on real life people?
How do you feel you best learned to hone your writing talent?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group posts the first Wednesday of every month. Please follow along as my fellow writers and I relate why we feel insecure, or read as we help encourage others suffering from insecurity.

Are you an insecure writer? Why not join the group? Find out more information via the group HERE.

The site is founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh - Thanks for all the support!

Battle of the Bands - Hazy Shade of Winter

There is a chill in the air. Either we are edging closer to Winter or my ex-wife is in the room. Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Anyway, with Winter moving in, you know what is next. Cold, snow, higher gas prices, people complaining about the cold. There is enough r.a.n.t. fodder here to last me through the Winter. (Co-incidentally, don't forget my r.a.n.t.s are now once a month, on the second Monday). Hey, what good is a blog without self promoting yourself? Sorry, I keep getting distracted. I should be talking about today's music selections but my information so far has been a bit hazy. Huh? Huh?
(Crickets chirping)
Moving right along!
We were talking about the signs of Winter, (Can you believe I saw them setting up for Christmas at Target this weekend?) and things being hazy. That brings us to date with the battle I'm presenting to you. Two of my favourite artists will be duking it out. This is one of those songs where I heard the cover first, then realized it was a cover. It was part of the reason I became a Simon and Garfunkel fan. Also my dad used to listen to them. Back in the day, I remember a cold snow day we had. Milwaukee was iced over and everyone was essentially locked in. I was probably in my room listening to the Bangles while my mom and dad were in the living room. HBO was running Simon and Garfunkel's concert in Central Park. I came into the living room frequently and remember loving their music. I recall I finally sat down and watched the rest of the concert.

Okay, time to stop being hazy on the information. Now we battle!
Simon & Garfunkel vs. The Bangles

Simon & Garfunkel


The Bangles


Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job. Time to vote on your favourite. Please vote for your preferred song choice and let me know in the comments. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 8th when I'll cast my own vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
What is your favourite Winter memory?
Has one artist ever introduced you to another?
Who is your favourite comedian?

Did you enjoy this Battle of the Bands feature? Come back on 15th October when I'll have a new battle. Also, be sure to check out my friends below who have banded together to offer up their own musical battles.

FAR AWAY SERIES
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
YOUR DAILY DOSE
BOOK LOVER
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS

Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

My Top 25 Favourite Films

I'm participating in Stephen T. McCarthy's 25 Favourite Movie project.
I came to find this was not as easy a task as one might think. First of all, I don't go see films often. Not even when it's a film that interests me. As a result, I had a difficult time thinking of what films I thought were best. In the end, I looked into my DVD cabinet and discovered I own almost 50 films. Well, if I own it, I must like it. So I've gone over what I own, and tried to determine which I felt were my favourites. I have also tried to include a few from the various genres in the cabinet. i.e.; Superhero, Adventure, Western, Sci.Fi., Comedy, Oldie, Disaster or a few others types. I realized I seem to lean more towards sci.fi., campy or goofy comedies. What do you think of the list? Have you seen any on my list? Which ones do you like?
More importantly, I'm wondering which on the list is no surprise to you. And which are surprising to find in my list.



My Top 10 Favourite Films

1. Scavenger Hunt (1979)
Starring: Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley, Richard Mulligan, Tony Randall, Dirk Benadict, Willie Aames, Stephanie Faracy, Maureen Teefy, Richard Masur
Featuring: Ruth Gordon, Stephen Furst, Vincent Price, Meat Loaf, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liz Torres, Avery Schreiber
Plot: To inherit a fortune, various addressees of a will must compete in a wild scavenger hunt to collect selected items, but cannot be simply bought.
Quotes
Charles Bernstein: I'm Charles Bernstein. Attorney for the late Milton Parker.
Marvin Dummitz: You mean someone else is late now?

Babbette: Montclair! Montclair! They have killed Montclair!
Jenkins: There, there, Babbette, we will get you another toilet.

2. Back to the Future (1985, 1989, 1990)
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Tompson, Crispin Glover
Plot: A young man is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time travelling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents unite in order to save his own existence.
Quotes
Marty McFly: So you're my Uncle Joey. Better get used to these bars, kid.

Stella Baines: He's a very strange young man.
Sam Baines: He's an idiot. Comes from upbringing. His parents are probably idiots, too. Lorraine, you ever have a kid who acts that way, I'll disown you.

Marty McFly: Silence, Earthling. My name is Darth Vader. I am an extraterrestrial from the planet Vulcan!

3. Groundhog Day (1993)
Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
Plot: A weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.
Quotes
Phil: Come on, ALL the long distance lines are down? What about the satellite? Is it snowing in space? Don't you have some kind of a line that you keep open for emergencies or for celebrities? I'm both. I'm a celebrity in an emergency.

Phil: Uh, Mrs. Lancaster, uh, was anybody looking for me here this morning? Perhaps a state official? Maybe a blue hat, gun, nightstick?
Mrs. Lancaster: Oh, no, no one like that. Will there be?
Phil: Apparently not.

4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Plot: King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Grail, encountering many very silly obstacles.
Quotes
Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant: Well, she turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant 3: ... I got better.

King Arthur: I am your king.
Woman: Well, I didn't vote for you.

King of Swamp Castle: Please! This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let's not bicker and argue over who killed who.

5. Stalag 17 (1953)
Starring: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Richard Erdman, Peter Graves
Plot: When two escaping American World War II prisoners are killed, the German POW camp barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.
Quotes
Triz Trzcinski: I believe it. My wife says, "Darling, you won't believe it, but I found the most adorable baby on our doorstep and I've decided to keep it for our very own. Now you won't believe it, but it's got exactly my eyes and nose." Why does she keep saying I won't believe it? I believe it! I believe it.

Sefton: If I ever run into any of you bums on a street corner, just let's pretend we've never met before.

6. Star Wars (1977, 1980, 1983, 1999, 2002, 2005)
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Billy D Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Alec Guinness & Liam Neesan, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Hayden Christiensen, James Earl Jones (as the voice of Darth Vader)
Plot: Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a wookiee and two droids to save the universe from the Empire's world-destroying battle-station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader.
Quotes
Princess Leia: Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder.
Han Solo: Who's scruffy-looking?

Anakin Skywalker: I sense Count Dooku.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: I sense a trap.

Admiral Ackbar: It's a trap!

7. A Knight's Tale (2001)
Starring: Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Laura Fraser, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk
Plot: After his master dies, a peasant squire, fuelled by his desire for food and glory, creates a new identity for himself as a knight.
Quotes
Wat: I don't understand women.
Chaucer: Nor do I. But they understand us. Well, maybe not you.

Jocelyn: I demand poetry, and when I want it, and I want it now.
William: Your breasts... they're beneath your throat.

Roland: Are you a woman or a blacksmith?
Kate: Sometimes I'm both.

8. Dream Team (1989)
Starring: Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle, Stephen Furst, Lorraine Bracco
Plot: On the way to a baseball game, sanitarium patients get stranded in New York City after their chaperone is hospitalized and they're being pursued by criminals.
Quotes
Jack: Great! Breakfast. I'm starved.
Henry: That's not ours. That's Ed's.
Jack: Did Ed make the sun shine? Did Ed make the wheat grow?
Henry: I don't know the man.

Billy: Ah, it's great to be young and insane!

Henry: This is Brian's cupcake. Every day an innocent man is deprived of his dessert while we sit here and do nothing.

9. Time Machine (1960)
Starring: Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux
Plot: A man's vision for an utopian society is disillusioned when travelling forward into time reveals a dark and dangerous society.
Quotes
George: What have you done? Thousands of years of building and rebuilding, creating and recreating so you can let it crumble to dust. A million years of sensitive men dying for their dreams... FOR WHAT? So you can swim and dance and play.

Filby: If that machine can do what you say it can do, destroy it, George! Destroy it before it destroys you!

10. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Starring: Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efron Ramirez, Tina Majorino
Plot: A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.
Quotes
Napoleon Dynamite: Who are you gonna ask?
Pedro: That girl over there.
Napoleon Dynamite: Summer Wheatly? How the heck are you gonna do that?
Pedro: Build her a cake or something.

Napoleon Dynamite: It's a piece of crap it doesn't work!
Uncle Rico: Well, I could've told you that.



The other 15 top movies I like.

11. Rat Race (2001)
Starring: Beckin Meyer, Cuba Gooding Jr., Seth Green, Vince Vieluf, Whoopi Goldberg, Lanei Chapman, Jon Lovitz, Kathy Najimy,John Cleese, Dave Thomas, Amy Smart, Rowan Atkinson
Featuring: Gloria Alred, Paul Rodriguez, Wyane Knight, Dean Cain, Brandy Leford
Plot: An eccentric Las Vegas casino magnate, determined to find a new avenue for wagering, sets up a race for money.
Quotes
Enrico Pollini: Am I too late ? Look I won a coin, a gold coin! Oh, isn't this wonderful? Look at this room, what a beautiful room, have you seen this room?
Randy Pear: Yes! We're in it!

Merrill: I think this is some kind of scam!
Vera Baker: Oh good, a scam! We'll do it!

12. Aliens (1986)
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein
Plot: The planet from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, but will it be enough?
Quotes
Hudson: Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?
Vasquez: No. Have you?

Ripley:These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.
Newt:It won't make any difference.

Hudson: That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over!

13. Princess Bride (1987)
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Christopher Guest, Andre the Giant, Robin Wright
Featuring: Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Mel Smith
Plot: While home sick in bed, a young boy's grandfather reads him a story called The Princess Bride.
Quotes
Inigo Montoya: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

Prince Humperdinck: Surrender.
Westley: You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept.

14. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Hal Landon Jr.
Plot: Two seemingly dumb teens struggle to prepare a historical presentation with the help of a time machine.
Quotes
Ted: Okay, the lady in that car over there said that Marco Polo was in the year 1275.
Bill: It's not just a water sport, I knew it!

Ted: Uh, Ms. Preston. We'd like you to meet some of our... friends.
Bill: Yeah. This is Dave Beeth-Oven. And, uh, Maxine of Arc, Missy. Herman the Kid.
Ted: Bob "Genghis" Khan. So-cratz Johnson. Dennis Frood. And, uh, uh... Abraham Lincoln.

15. Unbreakable (2000)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson
Plot: A man learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident.
Quotes
Elijah Price: Do you know what the scariest thing is? To not know your place in this world, to not know why you're here. That's - that's just an awful feeling.

David Dunn: Friends listen to each other! And they don't shoot each other, do they Audrey?
Audrey Dunn: N-... No shooting friends, Joseph...

16. American Graffiti (1973)
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips
Featuring: Wolfman Jack, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Summers
Plot: A couple of high school grads spend one final night cruising the strip with their buddies before they go off to college.
Quotes
Carol: Your car is uglier than I am! Uh... that didn't come out right.

Terry Fields: Let me have a Three Musketeers, and a ball point pen, and one of those combs there, a pint of Old Harper, a couple of flash light batteries and some beef jerky.

17. Three Amigos (1986)
Starring: Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Patrice Martinez
Plot: Three unemployed actors accept an invitation to a Mexican village to replay their bandit fighter roles, unaware that it is the real thing.
Quotes
Juanita: Which one do you like?
Carmen: I like the one that's not so smart.
Juanita: Which one is that?

El Guapo: Are gringos falling from the sky?
Jefe: Yes, El Guapo.

18. Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Starring: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters
Plot: A group of passengers struggle to survive and escape when their ocean liner completely capsizes at sea.
Quotes
Linda Rogo: What happened?
Reverend Frank Scott: We've turned over.

Robin Shelby: I'm sorry Mrs. Rosen, I didn't mean it to sound like that.
Mrs. Belle Rosen: What, I miss something?
Robin Shelby: When I said I helped my dad pull in a 600 pound swordfish. I didn't mean that I thought you weighed that much.
Mrs. Belle Rosen: All that's going on and THAT'S what you're worried about?

19. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee van Cleef
Plot: A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.
Quotes
Blondie: You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.

Tuco: Don't die, I'll get you water. Stay there. Don't move, I'll get you water. Don't die until later.

Blondie: It's not a joke, it's a rope, Tuco. Now I want you to get up there and put your head in that noose.

20. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982)
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban, Deforest Kelley
Plot: With the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using a life-generating device, the Genesis Device, as the ultimate weapon.
Quotes
Khan: I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on hurting you. I shall leave you as you left me, as you left her; marooned for all eternity in the center of a dead planet... buried alive! Buried alive...!
Kirk: KHAAANNNN!

McCoy: Where are we going?
Kirk: Where they went.
McCoy: Suppose they went *nowhere*?
Kirk: Then this will be your big chance to get away from it all.

21. Jurassic Park (1993)
Starring: Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldbloom, Richard Attenborough, Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight
Plot: During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
Quotes
John Hammond: All major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked!
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but, John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.

Dennis Nedry: Dodgson!
Lew Dodgson: You shouldn't use my name.
Dennis Nedry: Dodgson! Dodgson! We've got Dodgson here! Nobody cares. Nice hat. What are you trying to look like, a secret agent?

22. Mars Attacks (1996)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnon, Danny Devito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Lisa Marie
Plot: Earth is invaded by Martians with unbeatable weapons and a cruel sense of humor.
Quotes
President Dale: I want the people to know that they still have 2 out of 3 branches of the government working for them, and that ain't bad.

Martian Translator Device: We come in peace! We come in peace!

23. Cannonball Run (1981)
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Faucet, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Elam, Terry Bradshaw, Adrienne Barbeau, Jackie Chan, Bert Convy, Jamie Farr
Plot: A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, dirty tricks.
Quotes
J.J. McClure: I'm sure that doctor's a very sweet man, basically.
Victor Prinsi: Oh, thank you.
J.J. McClure: But don't you ever tell me where you found him. Ever.

J.J. McClure: Excuse me. Excuse me. Hey, Mad Dog!
Mad Dog: Hey, J.J!
J.J. McClure: Look, you probably didn't realize this, but the parking lot's outside.

24. Flash Gordon (1980)
Starring: Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Max von Sydow, Topol, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed
Plot: A football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.
Quotes
Prince Vultan: GORDON'S ALIVE!

Princess Aura: Look! Water is leaking from her eyes.
The Emperor Ming: It's what they call tears, it's a sign of their weakness.

Princess Aura: But my father has never kept a vow in his life!
Dale Arden: I can't help that, Aura. Keeping our word is one of the things that make us... better than you.

25. Superman II (1980)
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margo Kiddder, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Jack O'Halloran
Plot: Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth with the help of Lex Luthor.
Quote
General Zod: We have no more use for this one. Kill him.
Lex Luthor: Me? Lex Luthor? General, you came to me with nothing. I gave you Superman!

Clark Kent: General, would you care to step outside?
General Zod: Come to me, son of Jor-El, kneel before Zod!