1/31/2012

Two unfinishable films

There's a momentum to movies, a momentum that if lost bears the movies unfinishable. This happened to me twice in the last few weeks. I stepped away, paused the movie, and then decided they couldn't be finished. This is a pretty huge occurrence. I almost always finish movie to a fault. But let's be honest, I'm pretty sure I'll never regret not finishing Green Lantern and Water for Elephants.

And what is with this fish guy's rib cage?

Green Lantern seemed to sap all charisma out of Ryan "charisma is what I bring to the table" Reynolds during its paint-by-numbers origin. I've said it several times, I'll say it for eternity: superhero origin stories are boring. Like, I realize every does a superhero nowadays, but they could at least sometimes be interesting. Please? Plus, the premise of will/green vs. fear/yellow comes off as obtuse on film. And why does every speak English in space if Reyrey is the first human on the Green Lantern team? And why is Blake Lively cast in everything? Guess I'll never know because I walked away.

Honestly, the elephant was probably the most compelling character in the film.

Water for Elephants proved that Robert Pattinson is pretty good looking when he's not wearing 10 pounds of pale white foundation. Reese Witherspoon's costumes were pretty, and Christoph Waltz is a good creepy man. Too bad it was mostly bland, although not terrible. Mostly, the movie got paused, and my g-friend and I decided life coaching each other was a better idea than finishing the movie.

So tell me friends, what movies have been unfinishable for you lately?

1/30/2012

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10: Week of February 4, 2012

Another month and only a few new songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10. Let's take a look-see.

10. "Domino" by Jessie J
Apparently this Jessie J thing is happening no matter what, so congratulations world, one more song for large dance camp numbers.

9. "Niggas in Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West

'Nuff said.

8. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson
I kind of like Kelly Clarkson despite the fact that each of her songs sounds the same/are about deadbeat exes. At least she usually has an empowering message?

7. "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO
Please let this fall in the charts mean that this song will soon fade from the radio waves.

6. "It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars
This song gets more hilariously mopey with each listen.

5. "The One that Got Away" by Katy Perry
I've become obsessed with how K. Per says "meh" (met) and "Radioheah" (Radiohead) during the first verse of this song. Needless to say, I'm over it.

4. "Turn Me On" by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj
David Guetta has been turning out some good dance hits lately, this time with Nicki Minaj who is singing and limiting her crazy rap style. Thanks for importing M. Guetta, France!

3. "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida
Over it. Flo Rida's douchiness is finally overwhelming every listen to this song.

2. "We Found Love" by Rihanna
Still happening.

1. "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Stop it. Just stop releasing these horrible songs. You're a talented girl, so stop being so obnoxious. And take some Prozac.

1/14/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 109-129

Last chunk of the movies I saw in 2011 for the first time. See also: 1-21, 22-42, 43-64, 65-86, 87-108.

109. Paris is Burning (1990)-- Another one of my favorite films I saw in 2011. Fascinating look at drag culture in New York in the late 80s. I adore every personality in this film. Just delightful.

110. Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)-- This documentary actually gave me some respect for the mythical Madonna. As much as the voiceover narration sounds contrived or as needy for attention (theater kid-level neediness) as Madonna acted, I could appreciate that what she was doing on this tour was hard work. It also gave me a glimpse of Madonna before the pretentiousness/fake British accent.

111. The Thin Blue Line (1988)-- Another haunting documentary from Errol Morris, this time involving a murder.

112. Girl, Interrupted (1999)-- Remember when Angelina Jolie was super weird and Winona Ryder was relevant? I enjoyed this look at 1960s mental hospitals quite a bit.

113. Breaking Dawn: Part 1 (2011)-- Wedding porn and terrible relationships. Billy Burke's Charlie continues to be the best character in these films.

114. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)-- It was fine. I've lost steam with this franchise. Good thing it's over.

115. Hugo (2011)-- Absolutely delightful. Even Sacha Baron Cohen captured my heart.

116. Larry Crowne (2011)-- Meh.

117. Network (1976)-- A satire that works just as well today as it did in 1976.

118. Babes in Toyland (1961)-- Very 1960s Disney.

119. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)-- Impressed by the performances in this film.

120. The Bounty Hunter (2010)-- I can't really say I disliked this movie. It was amusing enough for a Saturday afternoon.

121. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)-- Enchanting. Great visuals, fun horror story.

122. Come Early Morning (2006)-- I adore Ashley Judd, and I enjoyed watching her in a sweet, small scale film.

123. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990)-- Delightful, funny, great small humorous moments. Gary Oldman and Tim Roth play off each other well.

124. The Piano Teacher (2001)-- Sexual repression and piano playing. Really depressing.

125. Weekend (2011)-- LOVE. An indie romance that felt honest.

126. Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011)-- Fun, more coherent than the first Guy Ritchie take on Sherlock Holmes. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law are a pleasure to watch.

127. Tangled (2010)-- Decent animated musical, although it's still harping on the "revised humor fairytale" genre that's been ubiquitous for the last decade. However, I am obsessed with the sidekick chameleon and his cute little chameleon hands/feet.

128. Algiers (1938)-- Love this film and the doomed romance between a hidden criminal and an engaged French woman. Apparently this film was inspiration for both Casablanca and Pepé Le Pew.

129. Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)-- Surprisingly fun gnome version of Romeo and Juliet. Using James McAvoy and Emily Blunt as voice talents doesn't hurt.

THE END.

1/12/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 87-108

Movies 2011, y'all. See also: 1-21, 22-42, 43-64, 65-86.

87. Unknown (2011)-- Liam Neeson: badass action star. January Jones: beautiful blank slate.

88. Year of the Carnivore (2009)-- Indie comedy(?) that gets real weird about sex.

89. 8: The Mormon Proposition (2010)-- A little too blatantly biased, but some good information and questions about Mormon involvement in Proposition 8.

90. I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011)-- Being rich is so hard.

91. Do the Right Thing (1989)-- It's more stage play than cinematic, but everything about this film just works. In addition, "Fight the Power" will be stuck in your head for about a week after watching this.

92. Hunger (2008)-- So very bleak, but Steve McQueen puts an impressive amount of trust in his actors to create the atmosphere of this film.

93. Arranged (2007)-- Cute film about an Orthodox Jewish woman and a Muslim woman becoming friends and seeking husbands in their respective cultures.

94. Drive (2011)-- Pretty damn cool.

95. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)-- Fairly amusing Sherlock Holmes mystery that is far more coherent than the recent Guy Ritchie takes on the character.

96. White Palace (1990)-- Alright, I was on a sexual James Spader kick in 2011, and this time in a May-December romance with Susan Sarandon. Kind of a mediocre film, but enough interesting character development to be engaging.

97. Marie Antoinette (2006)-- Fun blend of modern music and color palette with 18th Century costuming and politics. For me, it works.

98. Footloose (2011)-- Just as corny as the original but without the nostalgia. I would love to see Miles Teller (the dance impaired sidekick) in more films.

99. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)-- It's a 90s action movie. Not much more.

100. Source Code (2011)-- More engaging than I thought it would be.

101. The Ides of March (2011)-- Serviceable, but ultimately nothing more than a film pandering to a middle-aged, liberal, white audience.

102. Thirteen (2003)-- Watching this film is when I learned that Evan Rachel Wood has played the same obnoxious character since 2003. It worked well for this film, although can't say the same about The Ides of March. Holly Hunter is pretty great though.

103. Dogville (2003)-- Still don't know what to do with this film, but I appreciate a good allegory I also liked that the gimmicky stage-like sets paid off well in several scenes juxtaposing what was said and what was actually being done.

104. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)-- Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a beautiful couple that helps perpetuate the myth of Bonnie and Clyde.

105. The Exorcist (1973)-- I was thoroughly impressed by this film. I haven't enjoyed a horror film this much since I saw Rosemary's Baby. The slow pace built up effective suspense, and Ellen Burstyn sold me on the fright.

106. Scream (1996)-- Fun slasher pic. Enjoyed it more than I expected.

107. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)-- Appreciated Chris Evans' low-key performance, Stanley Tucci being Stanley Tucci, and the 1940s art design and costuming. Overall, kind of dull. Also, STOP WITH THE ORIGIN STORIES, PLEASE.

108. The 39 Steps (1935)-- Absolutely charming thriller.

1/10/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 65-86

More movies I saw in 2011. See also: 1-21, 22-42, 43-64.

65. Friends with Benefits (2011)-- Can't decide how much I like this movie, but I was charmed but some of the more genuine moments (i.e., those that didn't involve flash mobs or pretending Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are employable for anything other than hotness).

66. X-Men: First Class (2011)-- I could watch James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender do anything. However, if I never watch another superhero origin story, I'll die happy.

67. Walking and Talking (1996)-- Introduced me to Billy Bragg. Worth it.

68. Starter for 10 (2006)-- James McAvoy and Rebecca Hall are charming.

69. Becoming Jane (2007)-- I'm embarrassed for myself for watching this film, and for Anne Hathaway's terrible English accent.

70. Reality Bites (1994)-- Eeeh, not as bad I thought it would be. Pretty watchable. Ethan Hawke makes a good douchebag.

71. Horrible Bosses (2011)-- One of those movies you see because you don't really want to watch anything else in the theaters and you need something to do. Charlie Day manages to made me laugh at least once.

72. Dangerous Beauty (1998)-- Watched this for Rufus Sewell. Kind of a terrible, soft focus, historical drama.

73. Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr. (1999)-- Fascinating documentary about a man claimed to be an execution device expert and how he turns into a Holocaust denier. Officially love Errol Morris.

74. Empire Records (1995)-- I'm about ten years older than I should have been to truly enjoy this film. However, Ethan Embry forever.

75. Wishful Thinking (1996)-- Did I even watch this movie? It stars Jon Stewart, Drew Barrymore, and Jennifer Beale?

76. Trollhunter (2010)-- Finally, someone takes the found footage genre and makes it fun and Norwegian.

77. 30 Minutes or Less (2011)-- Danny McBride is the worst. Jesse Eisenberg is wonderful when he's frantic.

78. Adam (2009)-- Hugh Dancy puts a good effort into playing a man with Asperger's. Rose Byrne puts in a mediocre effort into playing a human being.

79. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)-- Finally saw the whole thing. I'm probably way too young to really appreciate the film, but I enjoy its portrayal of teenagers since it seems a lot more honest than most teen films today.

80. The Usual Suspects (1995)-- Kind of like that time I finally saw A Beautiful Mind, and I already knew the twist and the experience was less than mind blowing. Except The Usual Suspects is actually interesting/well-crafted/suspenseful/engaging/any positive adjective.

81. Love Jones (1997)-- Charming. Makes me wonder whatever happened to spoken word, Nia Long, and Bill Bellamy.

82. One Day (2011)-- The return of Anne Hathaway's awful English accent, although there was still enough charm to make it enjoyable (think The Lake House). I'm kind of pissed they relegated Romola Garai to a minor role.

83. Staying Alive (1983)-- John Travolta plays an asshole and a mediocre dancer in this poorly scripted sequel to Saturday Night Fever. Cynthia Rhodes and Frank Stallone's smooth grooves were clearly the best part of the film.

84. 50/50 (2011)-- Confused why this is so praised. Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen play the same characters they always do (it's getting old), and Bryce Dallas Howard is the shrewish girlfriend (a more nuanced look at this character would have GREAT to see). Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Anjelica Huston however hold the thing together enough to make it worth it.

85. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)-- Mainstream clever. Wish I could box up Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's relationship for sad, depressing, rainy days.

86. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)-- John Malkovich is my favorite creepy seducer. He's equal parts repulsive and humorous, and I can never get over how that sweet sounding lisp of his sounds like pure evil. Also, remember how Keanu Reeves kept getting cast in period pieces?

1/09/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 43-64

More movies I saw for the first time in 2011. See also: 1-21, 22-42.

43. Y Tu Mama, Tambien (2001)-- Cute boys, beautiful woman, sexy times.

44. Secretary (2002)-- James Spader, once again being emotionally damaged and creepily alluring, this time with Maggie Gyllenhaal being adorably submissive.

45. Bridesmaids (2011)-- One of the few Apatow produced movies that I actually found funny. Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig can sell me on anything.

46. High Road (2011)-- I saw this at SIFF. It's more proof that improvised movies are exceedingly dull (except for the Lizzy Caplan parts, of course).

47. Lust, Caution (2007)-- INTENSE. One of the better films about the toll of the spying life.

48. Dan in Real Life (2007)-- Why would Juliette Binoche date Dane Cook?

49. Teeth (2007)-- Apparently I went through a 2007 phase this spring. Anyway, great premise that allows the myth of vagina dentata to shine light on abstinence and religion. Too bad the third act falls apart.

50. The New World (2005)-- Not without its flaws, but it makes up for it by being so beautiful and meditative. I'd say it's heavy competition for Bright Star in its representation of young love, but manages to do it in a way that actually moves me.

51. Easier with Practice (2009)-- Late night Netflix choice that is a decent movie about loneliness. And by "decent," I mean less painful than most indie movies.

52. Killing Bono (2011)-- It's about the band that was almost U2. It never leaves "sad sack" territory, so the laughs never really come.

53. The Piano (1993)-- Speaking of Jane Campion, I wanted so badly to be taken into this film, but it stopped short. It's like listening to someone play a piano sonatina with a heavy hand--it's just not quite right. However, there's beautiful cinematography and a brilliant Holly Hunter.

54. Humpday (2009)-- Interesting indie movie about straight, male friends who try to sleep together for an amateur porn festival. It's better than it sounds, I swear. Smartly written.

55. Super 8 (2011)-- Fun and instantly forgettable summer adventure film. Loved the kids' zombie film.

56. The Muppet Movie (1979)-- I can't believe I never seen this movie before, but it showed me why muppet movies are such a big deal in the first place.

57. Anyone and Everyone (2007)-- This documentary depicts families dealing with a son or daughter coming out as gay. Sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, I was an emotional wreck after watching this film. The Mormon family was especially touching because the they were so supportive. Recommended for anyone trying to reconcile homosexuality and religion.

58. Attack the Block (2011)-- British street kids and aliens. 'nuff said.

59. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)-- This movie wasn't nearly as funny as I had heard. Christopher Meloni was best in show as the crazy Vietnam vet.

60. Muriel’s Wedding (1994)-- I don't really think I get Australian comedy, but I always enjoy Toni Collette.

61. The Tree of Life (2011)-- The most spiritual moment of my year was seeing this film. Beautiful and transcendent with a gorgeous soundtrack.

62. Planet Terror/Death Proof (2007)-- I'm just lumping these two together. I enjoyed the gross-out horror style of Planet Terror much more than the loooooong buildup of Death Proof, although Death Proof has a great car chase scene in the end.

63. The Waiting Room (2007)-- I vaguely remember watching this movie. Another mediocre indie.

64. Half Nelson (2006)-- This film and Ryan Gosling's acting were just as good as I had heard. An indie movie that does well at developing characters and character arcs.

1/08/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 22-42

I continue to describe every movie I saw in 2011 that was new to me. See also: 1-21.

22. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)-- This film is unstatisfying in the most perfect way. Schoolgirls in 1900 Australia go missing after a picnic at Hanging Rock. Peter Weir continues to impress.

23. Rory O'Shea Was Here (2004)-- Feel good movie about claiming independence and proof that James McAvoy can charm even strapped into a wheelchair. This film is also proof that Romola Garai is pretty great in modern films and not just corset dramas.

24. Mystery Team (2009)-- Kind of funny, but overstayed its welcome. (Sorry, Donald Glover.)

25. Practical Magic (1998)-- Yes, it's kind of awful, but it stars so many lovely ladies: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, STOCKARD CHANNING, Dianne Wiest. Perfect for doing chores to.

26. Children of a Lesser God (1986)-- I'm still pissed they cut off Marlee Matlin's signing hands for the sake of a close up. Overall, this movie is a little unsettling, although it has a decent message, kind of.

27. Yentl (1983)-- A cross-dressing movie that definitely starts to get weird (mostly for the unsuspecting bride Barbra Streisand's character takes on). But my biggest beef with this movie is how do you make a musical that co-stars Mandy Patinkin and not have him sing?

28. Fish Tank (2009)-- Lower class teen and mom's new boyfriend. Talk about another relationship that gets weird. Young Katie Jarvis does well in this film as does Michael Fassbender.

29. The Fly (1986)-- Jeff Goldblum starts to turn into a fly. Things get SUPER weird. Great gross-out moments.

30. Starship Troopers (1997)-- There are a lot of angular jawlines.

31. The Pick-up Artist (1987)-- This movie was background, so I really don't know what was happening. I'm pretty sure it was mediocre-bad and involved the mafia. Robert Downey, Jr. and Molly Ringwald make an odd pairing.

32. The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)-- Not bad. Nicholas Cage makes some decent family-friendly adventures.

33. The Graduate (1967)-- More weirdness, this time in the form of a mother, daughter, and dude love triangle. I will say it accurately captures post-collegiate ennui.

34. Jackie Brown (1997)-- This may be my favorite Tarantino. It's more straightforward and has the least distracting sideplots out of all his films except Inglourious Basterds. Plus, it introduced me to Pam Grier.

35. Skyline (2010)-- Not nearly bad enough to be funny. It's just bad.

36. The Fall (2006)-- Beautiful images and sweet story.

37. XX/XY (2002)-- I need to stop pretending like Mark Ruffalo's movies are going to be fun to watch in any way.

38. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)-- Cool fight sequences.

39. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)--Not nearly as much fun as Vol. 1.

40. The Thin Red Line (1998)-- Terrance Malick just works for me. It's definitely a slow film with montages and voiceovers that work on a visceral level. Beautiful.

41. A Clockwork Orange (1971)-- I also need to stop pretending that I'm going to be blown away by a Stanley Kubrick film. This has some iconic moments and images, but the film doesn't seem to express everything it wants to express.

42. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)-- Clever meta-documentary about the role advertisement and product placement have in the media. Also, I loved how much Morgan Spurlock loved Mane 'n Tail shampoo.

1/05/2012

2011 Movie Roundup: 1-21

I figured it was about time to put my giant "what I watched for the first time this year" list to good use. Namely, subject it to my readers. Friends, I watched 129 movies this year, and, in case you're asking, it's about on par for my viewing from the last two years. Additionally, this is a good excuse to post about all those movies I meant to post about, but was too busy, unemployed, depressed, or lazy to write about. Let's go:

1. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)-- Engaging pseudo-documentary/experiment/performance art. Good story, Banksy is still mysterious, all is right in the world.

2. Donnie Darko (2001)-- Many people tell me this is one of their favorite movies. I might say the same thing if I was 15. Delighted by the use of Tears for Fears songs.

3. Beautiful Girls (1996)-- This film encapsulates my theory about Natalie Portman: she's the perfect blank canvas for people to project onto. Here, she represents the potential for new love. Bless Timothy Hutton for making this seem sweet and not creepy.

4. Lucas (1986)-- Made-for-TV level quality about being a dork in high school starring Corey Haim. Winona Ryder shows up.

5. Latter Days (2003)-- Endearing indie romance about a closeted Mormon missionary and the gay neighbor that takes a bet to seduce him. Cheesy.

6. Heat (1995)-- I remember thinking this was good. Hot shots like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer are in it (does Val Kilmer belong on that list? Sure. I'm going with it), but a couple of my favorite actresses, Amy Brenneman and Ashley Judd, are in this, too.

7. Blue Valentine (2010)-- Good performances, but I almost died of Too Much Hipster when Grizzly Bear's music played as the soundtrack.

8. Baby Doll (1956)-- The creative ways sexuality is portrayed in this movie blow me away. Also, can we talk about how I find Eli Wallach kind of attractive after this movie? Maybe we shouldn't talk about it.

9. Kiss Them for Me (1957)-- This came in this Cary Grant movie set my mom got from Costco. I'm afraid to watch any of the other ones in this set*, it is that bad. This was also my first introduction to Jayne Mansfield. TERRIFYING.

10. Red (2010)-- Inoffensive.

11. Amazing Grace-- A little too biopic-y for my taste, but Romola Garai and Benedict Cumberbatch make for endearing supporting characters.

12. Reservoir Dogs (1992)-- Solid film.

13. Pulp Fiction (1994)-- I still don't get what the deal was with the non-linear narrative--like, does it emphasize the chaos/randomness of the events or is Tarantino just messing with timelines because this is a movie and that's what you can do with movies?--but definitely intriguing.

14. Ghost World (2001)-- Watched this because my grad school buddy said we were exactly like Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson in this movie. This is true. Too bad the story falls apart at the end.

15. sex, lies, and videotape (1989)-- My sister has recently expressed her dislike of James Spader, saying that he's "creepy"**. Sure, he's kind of a creep, but a strangely alluring one. In Steven Soderbergh's first big hit, he's an emotionally damaged and introverted creep, and who doesn't love that?

16. Big Night (1996)-- I LOVE STANLEY TUCCI, even in this "an actor directed this movie and it's obvious" film. Great scenes of silent acting (even by gawky Marc Anthony) and also, Isabella Rossellini.

17. Ocean’s Twelve (2004)-- Yet another random gift, this time from a roommate who gave me a couple random-ass movies for Christmas. Apparently, there was a reason I didn't see this movie before then. It seems to just slog along until the finish. Not even the James Spader-like, creepy/alluring Vincent Cassel could save this.

18. Dogtooth (2009)-- Um, kind of the perfect weird movie. Quirky, but with a dark, dark underbelly. In fact, it's kind of terrifying, but it's too fascinating to look away.

19. The Virgin Suicides (1999)-- One of my favorites that I saw this year. The tone is nostalgic, sad, macabre, and sometimes humorous. To me, it is perfect--I even loved the narration. It adapts the source material well, and I have never seen Heart's music put to better use.

20. Made in Heaven (1987)-- This is one of those meant-to-be-together movies. They are the worst in the romantic story genre because it neither focuses on the exciting falling-in-love part or the mature difficulties-in-a-relationship part but instead makes us look at two boring people with no chemistry for two hours. Timothy Hutton and Kelly McGillis meet in the pre-existence heaven and then have to find each other on earth or something? I wasn't paying very much attention.

21. Jane Eyre (2011)-- Well done adaptation. Captures the horror and some of the humor of the novel.


*Of course An Affair to Remember and The Bishop's Wife are quality sappy pics. It's the other ones I'm worried about.

**And Ancient Aliens, and even James Spader as an ancient astronaut theorist. I know, I don't get it either.

1/03/2012

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10: Week of January 7, 2012

Happy New Year, kids. What does 2012 have to offer? More of the same and some new awfulness.

10. "Dance (A$$)" by Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj
I can't believe this is a real song.

9. "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO
Seriously guys? Stop shuffling.

8. "Someone Like You" by Adele
Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

7. "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele
In case you didn't want to cut yourself enough from the last song, how about another instant adult contemporary classic from Adele. I've only heard it once, and I'm already sick of it.

6. "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida
Eeeh. Still energetic.

5. "Niggas in Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West
Who knew that Blades of Glory would be featured in a quality hip-hop single?

4. "It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars
Middle school dance, much?

3. "The One that Got Away" by Katy Perry
Not as catchy as her other songs, so it's kind of become mediocre filler radio to me.

2. "We Found Love" by Rihanna
I keep forgetting the British accent in this video; it's so 15-year-old angst. Still some great sugar pop.

1. "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO
I just learned that these two are an uncle-nephew duo. I don't know what to do with that information, but I can say for sure that I'm continually dumbfounded by this group's success.