Down By the Schoolyard

Hi, my name is Brad, (aka Julio). I'm a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Notre Dame Law School, and I am a resident of the modern day Eden that is known as Cleveland, Ohio. I am a diehard fan of Cleveland Sports, Notre Dame, Georgetown, and Ohio State. I am also a self-proclaimed minister of culture, and I monitor of all things relating to entertainment. My musings in this area generally manifest themselves in lists that represent the definitive rankings in a wide variety of areas. My interests run from opera to pro wrestling and everything in between.

What follows is a chronicle of one man's adventure into the frightening world of pop culture ...

Candid Camera

For those of you who just cannot get enough, here's a sneak peak at my Top Ten Films:

Braveheart
Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars
Hoosiers
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Lord of the Rings
L.A. Confidential
Major League
A Few Good Men
Goodfellas

Top 100 Movies of All-Time

So I like Star Wars... a lot! All five George Lucas offerings dot my top forty, but that does not mean I am a fanatic or anything. Does it? Regardless, check out the entire top 100 to gain some true insight into my movie psyche.

The Greatest Albums of All Time

Some men may quiver at the thought of taking on a challenge like this. The twenty-five greatest albums of all time! Talk about a daunting task. Sure, bands like Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin certainly qualify, but Bon Jovi? I bet that whetted your appetite!

X-Men: Comic Books to the Big Screen

Some may question the wisdom of attempting to turn a successful comic book into a major motion picture. After all, very seldom has this been down well, the first Batman film aside. Director Bryan Singer was undeterred, however, and the result is one of the best films of 2000.

Some of my fine literary reviews:

All the Pretty Horses: Cormac McCarthy delivers an award-winning piece
Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage: Need help sleeping?
Blow: A peek inside the drug trade
Founding Brothers: Examining America's earliest heroes
Game of Thrones: George Martin revives the fantasy genre
Guns, Germs, and Steel: Europe's traditional dominance of history
House of Leaves: A horror novel for 2000
Lonesome Dove: The novel which spawned a mini-series
Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic
Manhattan Is My Beat: Jeffrey Deaver's disappointing literary offering
Snow Falling on Cedars: David Guterson's award-winning novel
To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee weaves a timeless tale
Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, The: Who ever needs this?

Movies... My one, true love:

Best Year for Movies?: Julio (1989) and Lone Star (1995) face off
Braveheart: Actor-director Mel Gibson's triumph
Empire Strikes Back: The original trilogy's best effort
Moulin Rouge: Baz Luhrmann's fantastical tale
Oscars 2001: Weighing in with Jules in tow
Run Lola Run: A full-length MTV video, but lots of fun
Star Wars Standard: George Lucas' lasting legacy
Top 100 Movies of All-Time: My latest take on the top films
Top Ten Movies of the 1990s: The best from the best decade

He who has an ear for music...

American III: Solitary Man: Johnny Cash is back with a vengeance
Dean Martin's Greatest Hits: The best from the timeless crooner
Grammy Winners 2000: Julio looks for the true winners
Mirrorball: Singer Sarah McLachlan at her finest

How about a little bit of something extra?

College Football 2000 Preview: An in-depth preview of the 2000 season
Greatest Sports Moments: 50 magical moments from the past century
Hollywood's Top 25 People: The all-time greats in the movie industry
James Bond Movie Countdown: Agent 007 from top to bottom
NBA 2000 All-Stars: Who should have made it and who should not have
Wrestling 1999: Year in Review: Was 1999 the best year ever?
Wrestling 2000: First Half Review: What did we learn from early 2000?
Wrestling 2000: Year-End Review: A look back at the year that was

All content contained herein is the sole property of Julio, and appears courtesy of Anthony J. DiPasquale, owner and operator of the Proudest Monkeys. Any attempt to use the information contained herein without proper consent is strictly prohibited.