Right now we only know about one game for the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2: the next Mario Kart. Nintendo didn’t reveal a title, but fans are already calling the kart racer Mario Kart 9 and scanning every frame of footage we got from the announcement trailer. We’ve gathered a few of those observations fans have…
One of the all-time greats is gone. That thought went through my head this afternoon when word came down that David Lynch, the incredible mind behind Twin Peaks, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and so many more, was no longer with us. The news was a shock as, despite his fragile health, Lynch was still pretty active, teasing potential new projects and also receiving rave reviews for his acting turn as John Ford in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans.
Of course, with this news, it’s time to take a look back at the master’s work, and lucky for us, he leaves an incredible cinematic legacy behind. We all have our favorite David Lynch movies, but here are my top 5 picks:
This was an important movie in my cinematic education. It came out in the late nineties, at a time when I was coming of age as a potential cinephile. Growing up, I had a sister who was a few years older than me, and she loved Lynch. She encouraged me to take a break from my repeated viewings of the Star Wars trilogy and try a Lynch movie. So, as a teenager, I gave Lost Highway a go on VHS and had my mind blown by Lynch’s nightmarish odyssey into madness. So many things about this film stuck with me, from David Bowie’s theme song, “I’m Deranged” (which I’m listening to as I write this) to Patricia Arquette in a dual role opposite the unforgettable Robert Blake, and so much more. But, above everything else, it taught me that movies didn’t have to be linear or even make a lick of sense. Lost Highway was a nightmare put to film, and even about a quarter century later, that first viewing of it has stuck with me.
Of course, having loved Lost Highway, I next had to trek to my neighborhood video store and pick up Blue Velvet. In many ways, this is the definitive David Lynch movie, mixing small-town Americana with a seedy, surreal underbelly that’s uglier than anything we could ever imagine. Kyle MacLachlan, who remains Lynch’s definitive on-screen collaborator, is superb as the all-American college boy who returns to his hometown and finds himself engrossed in a mystery that repels and seduces him. Like Lost Highway, there are moments in this that will stick with you forever, from Dennis Hopper inhaling gas (“mommy!!!”), to Dean Stockwell lip-synching to Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams.”
Yet, there was more to Lynch than his darker fare. Indeed, he made one of the most heartbreaking films I’ve ever seen – The Elephant Man – which is based on the true story of John Merrick, who was born with a disfiguring condition and made a circus freak until being taken in by a kindly Victorian doctor. In the title role, John Hurt was nominated for an Oscar, and many believe that its makeup effects being overlooked for an Oscar led to the creation of the Best MakeUp award the following year. This was produced by the great Mel Brooks, who famously described Lynch as “Jimmy Stewart from Mars.”
For me, Mulholland Drive is very much a companion piece to Lost Highway, but that might also be because, as a young man, I would often watch both films back-to-back, forever associating the two. This is the film that introduced us to Naomi Watts. Infamously, the film was conceived as a TV pilot before ABC got cold feet. Its rejection was probably the best thing that ever could have happened to it, as Lynch was able to reformat it into a surrealistic masterpiece, and for a while, it was his most widely seen film.
Of course, Lynch will always be best known for Twin Peaks, which began life as an ABC series before being cancelled, leading to a movie (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me) and an eventual sequel series, Twin Peaks: The Return, which stands as the director’s last major work. Watching the whole thing together, it’s an essential piece of our shared pop culture and will undoubtedly be seen as Lynch’s Magnum Opus. My only complaint is that I always hoped Lynch would return to that world again for yet another chapter, but as far as endings go, you can’t go out on a much higher note.
What are your favorite Lynch films? Let u know in the comments!
The post 5 Great David Lynch Movies to Remember Him By appeared first on JoBlo.
One of baseball’s most iconic voices is now silent after Bob Uecker, the famous Baseball Hall of Famer, Milwaukee Brewers announcer, and actor, died on Thursday. According to Uecker’s family, he dies after losing a battle with small-cell lung cancer. He was 90.
The Brewers announced Uecker’s passing on Thursday, releasing the following statement:
“Today, we take on the heaviest of burdens. Today, we say goodbye to our beloved friend, Bob Uecker.
“Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss. He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room, and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends.
“Saying goodbye to Bob shakes us all. He was so much more than a Milwaukee Brewers icon. He was a national treasure. Bob entertained us with his words and storytelling, so it is no surprise that his passing now leaves us at a loss for our own words.
“There is no describing the impact Ueck had on so many, and no words for how much he was loved. We are left with a giant void in our hearts, but also remember the laughter and joy he brought to our lives throughout the years.”
While Uecker’s six-year baseball career wasn’t the stuff of legend, he steadily grew into an icon thanks to his warm demeanor, detailed play-by-play commentary, and love of the game. Before joining the Atlanta Braves broadcast team, he was a scout, then acted as the Brewers announcer in 1971.
In addition to his legendary contributions to the sport, Uecker played a disheveled sportswriter named George Owens on Mr. Belvedere from 1985-1990. While the sitcom never rose to the top of the evening entertainment food chain, Mr. Belvedere lasted for six seasons and is beloved by many to this day. He also played Harry Doyle, an ornery play-by-play announcer in David S. Ward’s 1989 sports comedy Major League. In the film, the new owner of the Cleveland Indians puts together a purposely horrible team so they’ll lose, and she can move the team. But they start winning to spite her after discovering the plot. Major League stars Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes, James Gammon, and more.
Uecker was a Jack of many trades, and we will miss his insightful commentary, expertise, and engaging stories. We want to extend our condolences to Mr. Uecker’s family, friends, and fans. Rest well, sir.
The post Baseball Hall of Famer, MLB announcer, and Major League actor Bob Uecker passes away at 90 appeared first on JoBlo.
He had to die, point blank. For four seasons of Netflix’s stalker drama You, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has cheated death (and a few love interests) enough to warrant him being eliminated from existence forever, and the final season looks like it’s going to do just that. Today, Netflix put us all out of our misery by…
He had to die, point blank. For four seasons of Netflix’s stalker drama You, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) has cheated death (and a few love interests) enough to warrant him being eliminated from existence forever, and the final season looks like it’s going to do just that. Today, Netflix put us all out of our misery by…
Famous writer-director David Lynch, who was behind iconic and influential movies and shows like Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Twin Peaks, has died. The director was 78.
Famous writer-director David Lynch, who was behind iconic and influential movies and shows like Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Twin Peaks, has died. The director was 78.
Bloodborne came out over eight years ago. No FromSoftware game has lived more rent-free in the minds of all the studio’s fans. A sequel to the Sony-published PlayStation 4 exclusive seems like an obvious choice, but one still hasn’t come. Why not? Outgoing PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida suggests it’s because…
Bloodborne came out over eight years ago. No FromSoftware game has lived more rent-free in the minds of all the studio’s fans. A sequel to the Sony-published PlayStation 4 exclusive seems like an obvious choice, but one still hasn’t come. Why not? Outgoing PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida suggests it’s because…
We have some very sad news to report today, as the family of David Lynch has taken to social media to confirm that the legendary filmmaker, who would have turned 79 on January 20th, has passed away. His family wrote, “It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.“
Just last year, Lynch revealed that he was homebound and on oxygen due to emphysema – but that didn’t mean he had any intention of retiring. Although Lynch hadn’t directed a feature film since Inland Empire in 2006, but he did follow that up with many short films, as well as all 18 episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return and videos for some of the songs from Cellophane Memories, the new music album he sent out into the world last summer with Chrystabell (copies of the album are available to order at THIS LINK). Even though he would only be able to direct remotely, he was interested in doing more. He had also let it be known that he was hoping to make an animated film called Snootworld, which was rejected by the Netflix streaming service, but that he was thinking of passing the helm of that one over to a different director.
Born in Missoula, Montana on January 20, 1946, Lynch got his filmmaking career started by making shorts in the late ’60s. Over the decades, he went on to direct the likes of, among many other credits, Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Lost Highway, The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive, the aforementioned Inland Empire, and episodes of the Twin Peaks TV series, which he co-created with Mark Frost. Lynch also wrote the scripts for many of his directorial efforts.
As it turns out, a brief cameo in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans would be the last cinematic contribution from an artist whose legacy will be felt for generations to come.
Outside of film, he was a painter and enjoyed working on music projects. A student and advocate for transcendental meditation. Lynch was known for having a bizarre public persona that was vastly different from the actual down-to-earth man behind the pompadour and dark clothes.
Lynch was married four times and is survived by his last wife, Emily Stofle, as well as his four children: Jennifer, Austin Jack, Riley, and Lula.
Our sincere condolences go out to David Lynch’s family, friends, and fans. Cinema has lost a giant and a pioneer.
The post David Lynch has passed away at age 78 appeared first on JoBlo.